Code Name Slayer: Part 5: The Winter Solider
by Kitkat5979
Summary: After accepting a job from Nick Fury, Buffy Stark is now Agent Anne Summers, AKA The Slayer. With a secret identity to protect and a new team to help train up, will the blonde hero be able to also handle to twists thrown her way. From old friends arriving to betrayal and possibly a dangerous romance...can Buffy survive this next chapter?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Happy New Year Everyone!

So here we go with Buffy Stark's next adventure I have been teasing you with this for a while but here we finally go so hopefully you enjoy.

And do check out the trailer for this story on my Youtube Account just search up Kit Summers: Code Name Slayer - Winter Solider

Hope you all enjoy and please do comment xoxo

* * *

 **WASHINGTON, DC**

"What will happen to him?" Buffy asks curiously as she and Fury stand in her office, yes, he had after weeks of complaining given her her own office, but mainly just to keep her out of his.

Plus it helped keep up appearances, as long as the world thought she was the acting Stark Industries consultant then no one would question why she was constantly seen heading in and out of the SHIELD headquarters over the world.

Sighing the Director of Shield moves to stand beside the girl the two of them looking out of her window watching as one Mikael Peterson is brought into the medical bay.

Buffy couldn't help but feel for the man, she had heard what had happened, how Centipede had given him powers, increased strength and agility, however it had come with a price. Kind of like the extremis soldiers he had almost blown up till something had triggered it to stop. As she watches him she couldn't help but frown, she was too far away to get a proper look at him but there was something so familiar about him, she just couldn't put her finger on why.

Honestly, the file Fury had showed her just confused her, she didn't get any of the mumble jumble that Fitzsimmons had written...or was it Fitz and Simmons, that wasn't too clear. From the file she had read it almost seemed like they were the same person. It was extremely confusing. She may be smart but even that sent her mind spinning.

Watching 'Mike' for another moment the blonde sighs before turning back to Fury "Well?"  
Fury sighs "They will see if he is stable, if he is...then we will train him. He could use your help you know."  
"We'll see." She mumbles before watching as the med bay doors slam shut cutting off her view, sighing the blonde moves around her desk to watch as Fury picks up the 084 file and moves it in front of her.

Groaning the blonde sighs as she stares at the file, she couldn't believe he wanted her to do this, yes she wanted to see Coulson, or more accurately slap Coulson but she wasn't sure if she was ready.  
"His team is a bit rough around the edges." Fury admits to the blonde before sighing "Look I get your pissed, damn I would be too but he needs help on this."  
The blonde looks up at him before finally nodding, she might as well get this over with "When do I leave?"  
Fury grins "Tomorrow. They will be heading to inspect the 084 in the morning. My guess they will be getting into trouble."

Buffy merely nods and with that Fury heads out of the room, as the door closes behind him Buffy flops onto her chair and spins around softly as she thinks about her mission.

She was going to see Coulson again.

Last time she had seen him Loki had just stabbed him and she had watched him take his last breath.

Seeing him again wouldn't exactly be easy.

Taking a shaky breath the blonde leans her elbows on her desk and inhales deeply only for her head to shoot up as she hears a knock at the door.  
Frowning she buzzes the enter button before smiling in amusement, she should have realised it was Steve, he was the only person that ever knocked.

"Hey." She breathes out with a small smile as her friend walks towards him.  
Steve smiles at the blonde, still in his gear from the mission he had just returned from in Asia, slowly he looks up and around the blonde's new office and whistles "Nice."

Buffy chuckles before standing and circling around her desk to lean against it as he approaches her "I'm pretty sure it's Fury's way of saying leave me alone."  
"Ah." Steve laughs "Stay in your own office."  
"Exactly." She smiles before she looks up at him with a big grin, the two of them had grown a lot closer since she had moved here considering he spent a lot of time in Washington using it as a main base after his missions.  
Steve smiles at the blonde before he spots the file on her desk "Mission?" He asks as he grabs the file only for his face to fall as he notices the picture on the first page.

When he looks back at her Buffy could see the anger in his eyes, when she had first told him about Coulson being alive he had broken her punching bag before punching a hole in Fury's office, her father hadn't been far off from doing that either.

All of them were hurt by the fact that non of them had been made aware about Coulson's resurrection given that they had all cared about him.  
Buffy steps forward and places a hand on her friend's arm trying to calm him and he instantly calms at her touch before squeezing her hand back.  
"You need back up?"  
Buffy smiles before shaking her head "I'm good. But I could use some thai food you in?"  
Steve shakes his head in amusement, it still shocked him how much this girl could eat "Sure." He agrees before laughing in amusement as Buffy's eyes brighten up.  
Shaking his head he moves to sit at her desk while she grabs the thai menu.

Steve watches the Stark girl as she circles around her desk flipping through menus and smiles, she was honestly his only friend that he trusted completely now, which was ironic given the fact that she was a Stark.

The blonde tucks a strand of golden hair behind her ear before frowning as she spots Steve still watching her intently "You alright there Rogers?"

Steve stunned out of his zone clears his throat before nodding "Yeah—um—just wondering when I'm gonna get that Wifi lesson?" He jokes only making the Slayer roll her eyes.

"I told you when you settle someone other than Brooklyn we will talk." She says honestly, as much as she loved New York, what she didn't love was her father bombarding her in her apartment every day. Honestly, when she had lived in New York after what happened to their beach house he had shown up every day to torment her. Hence the move to Washington, this was his least favourite place on the planet, except for maybe New Jersey.

Steve shrugs, he had been considering moving out here for a while but had yet to tell her, the idea of saying goodbye to Brooklyn was just so upsetting.

And so with that the two order their food and merely chat for several hours enjoying each other's company.

* * *

Buffy slips off her heels as she walks into her townhouse apartment, with a sigh she leans against her front door. Why she agreed to pretend to be the weapons consultant for SHIELD and Stark Industries, she would never understand.  
She missed the days of chilling in Scotland living the Slayer lifestyle, no press conferences, she masks and a wig that inches like hell... just being herself.

After a long beat the 24-year-old vampire Slayer makes her way down the hall of her apartment before tossing her jacket and bag onto the couch.

Running a hand through her hair she heads into the kitchen and grabs the bottle of scotch off the counter before pouring herself a drink.  
Xander had begun to worry about her drinking, as had Steve, but after everything that happened with her getting tortured and finding out about Angel's death, she had had a bad year.

Downing her drink she leans her elbows on her counter top enjoying the rare moment of silence, but because of who she was, she really should have realised how stupid she was to think she would have any moment free.

"Sup Buff!"

Buffy jumps in shock and grabs a knife off the counter only to sigh in annoyance and slight anger at the sight of her father walking out of the training room with a grin on his face.  
"Dad, what the hell are you doing in my apartment!?"  
Tony merely frowns confused as to why she was yelling, "Technically it's mine."  
Buffy frowns in confusion before slowly it dawns on her, she was totally gonna have to change her name if she wanted any peace and quiet "You bought my building!"

Tony winces and raises his hands in defence as he spots the furious look on her face, maybe he shouldn't have said that "No...maybe...well technically the company bought it...after I ordered them too...okay yeah I did."  
When he finally sighs in defeat Buffy groans loudly before glaring at him "I'm so calling Pepper."  
Tony's eyes widen in panic "Buffy, come on—"

Sighing the blonde places the knife down before running a hand through her hair and turning to her father "Dad...I'm 24 years old, you gotta take a beat from me eventually. Why don't you hang out with your friends."  
"I don't have friends." He points out before jumping onto her couch getting too comfortable as he grabs the remote for the tv "So what we watching tonight?"  
"Dad."  
Tony pauses and glances back at his daughter who had her arms crossed, sighing he groans "Come on Buff. I have you, I don't need friends."  
"I hung out with you all week." She points out "You showed up on my date last week. We need to talk about boundaries. Seriously, I'm mean...you're old. Hang out with I don't know...old people."

Tony glares at his daughter "You're making me like you less."

* * *

 **PERU**

The next day after having to practically force her father to leave her apartment and go communicate with people who weren't his daughter, Buffy was now standing in a Quinjet heading towards the co-ordinates that Fury had sent her.  
"How far off are we?" She asks Natasha as she moves to sit in the seat beside the assassin who had agreed to drop her off on her way to her own mission.

"No long, half hour at most." The red headed Russian tells the blonde who nods before leaning back in her seat and staring out of the window at the clouds.

Natasha glances over at the blonde before noticing her playing with the red metal bracelets on her wrists, shaking her head in amusement the red head smiles "Heard Stark was at your apartment again last night."  
Buffy groans loudly "I need to move."  
Natasha laughs loudly "Probably. I'm sure Rogers would be happy to let you stay with him." The red-head says with a sly grin making Buffy frown in confusion.

Why was she looking at her like that?

"What?" She asks completely clueless as to what the red-head was getting at.

Natasha shakes her head in amusement, it seemed like Buffy was the only who didn't notice it. Well maybe other than Stark, but he was blatantly refusing to see it let alone acknowledge what was brewing between the Captain and The Slayer.  
"Nothing." She smiles before she spots them coming up on the 0-8-4 location "Time to suit up." She tells the blonde who shakes her head in amusement before standing and making her way into the middle of the Quinjet.

As Buffy moves towards the middle of the plane where her wig and glasses, which her dad had upgraded to be more a mixture of night-vision goggles and sunglasses, she couldn't help but glance back at her friend "Nat, what was the last 0-8-4, Fury didn't get a whole lot with the explain-y."

Natasha shakes her head in amusement, that sounded about right to her "A hammer."

Buffy rolls her eyes at that "Lovely." She breathes before placing her long raven haired wig on and tying it in a ponytail.  
Once she was sure the wig was on the Slayer activates her bracelets and slowly the bracelets transform into gauntlets and her suit begins forming around her.

Honestly she loved this suit, it was the perfect mess of Iron Man with a bit of Amazon Warrior.  
The only problem was that she realised just how flashy it was on her last mission, the red and silver had stood out like a sore thumb.

Hence why after much arguing she had convinced her reluctant father to tone it down, the suit was now black and navy with a dark red lining the edges of the metal still. Honestly she preferred it this way, as much as she loved her dad she wasn't as flashy as him.

Once the suit was fully formed the blonde glances over at Natasha who was now walking towards her, having put the plane on auto-pilot.

"Don't freeze when you see him."

Buffy rolls her eyes at the assassin's words "I'm good. Anti-freeze me." She says cheerily with a smirk before putting on her mask.

Natasha shakes her head in amusement before opening the hatch which would allow Buffy to drop out of the plane "No parachute?"

"Oops?" Buffy teases before giving her friend a smirk and a small salute and then leaping out of the plane diving head first out.


	2. Chapter 2

Agent Melinda May and Agent Grant Ward hold up their guns as several trucks pull up in front of them, guard after guard climbing out aiming their own weapons at the two SHIELD agents.  
This had not gone according to plan.

Ward glances over at May as he continues to hold one of the men by the throat "Should have taken more guns."

Inside the cave, which May and Ward were currently protecting Coulson reaches for his radio frowning at Ward's words.  
 _"_ _We have a situation."_

Coulson glances over at Skye who frowns "Must be the rebels in this area."  
Coulson frowns at that, it didn't make sense "Not enough gunfire." Sighing he thinks for a moment before glancing at the hacker "Keep working." He tells her before glancing at Agent Fitz and Simmons, he nods them letting them know not to stop their work, examining the 084, before he reaches for his radio again.

"On my way."

* * *

Buffy spins through the air before landing in the middle of the ground, landing in a crouch just as a car blows up beside her, the raven-haired hero looks up before standing.

Glancing around she watches as a group of people probably around her age panic and begin running back towards a cave before they spot her and freeze in shock.

Ignoring the stares of people Buffy walks towards the group of men currently shooting at the group of panicked Agents, who clearly were no Field Agents. This was going to be a lot of babysitting type of mission. Oh, she was so going to kill Fury.

"Hi." She says with a smirk to the men before grabbing the scythe off her back, raising her gauntlet she quickly blocks a blow of bullets flying her way, maneuvering her arm to block each bullet sending them diving the other way. The benefit of her powers growing lately...she was a hell of a lot faster...like seriously ever since those douchy fire guys had been experimenting on Slayers and killing them, it's like her anger had made her powers skyrocket.

Running up to the men Buffy who's strength as well as her speed had been continuing to grow and grow since her stint of being tortured leaps up into the air and flips through the air as she swings the scythe driving it through one soldier before backflipping through the air, kicking the next guard in the face.

Swinging her leg out she kicks another sending him flying across the area, causing him to crash into a nearby tree.

The blonde blocks another bullet before coming up next to one of the trucks that was currently firing weapons at the small group.  
Grabbing onto the bottom of the truck she lifts it up sending it spinning through the air.

Finally, the blonde places the scythe back in its holster before she releases one of the blades from her gauntlets, as it drops she grins before switching the flip at the top and stabbing it into the ground.

Immediately a large burst of red energy escapes the device sending everyone standing flipping through the air before knocking them unconscious.

"And that's how it's done." The blonde grins before standing and sending the blade back into her gauntlet.

She pauses for a second and moves towards the group of people currently hiding in the front of the cave. Looking down at them she sighs before grabbing a blade and without looking she launches it behind her killing the man who had been coming up behind her.

"You're Coulson's team?" She asks.

While Fitzsimmons and Skye remain in shock, all of them trying not to fangirl over the sight of the Avenger stood in front of them Agent Ward stands "Agent Grant Ward."  
Buffy watches the handsome agent for a moment before frowning behind her mask, there was something about him that just felt off.

Sighing she glances back at the others who were still staring at her in amazement "Hey." She says with a smile before turning her head just as a van pulls up next to them.

As the door is pushed open Buffy smiles at the sight of her favorite Agent of Shield "Melinda."

May's eyes widen in shock, she had no idea Buffy would be here, opening her mouth completely in shock she is only brought back to reality as Buffy grabs the scythe and within a heartbreak raises it in front of Fitz allowing a bullet to hit the blade instead of hitting the scientist.

"Get in the van!" Buffy yells before launching the scythe at the gunman while Simmons pushes a shocked Fitz into the van followed closely behind by Ward and Skye.  
Buffy quickly gets everyone into the truck before slamming the door shut "Go!"

"Not without you!" Melinda yells, making everyone in the van frown at the concern in her voice over the Avenger.

Buffy sighs "I'll ride on top." She says with a smile making Melinda rolls her eyes in amusement before speeding the van off while Buffy leaps on the hood stabbing one of the knives into the roof so that she could keep ahold.

"You know an Avenger!" Simmons and Fitz scream at May while the Agent remains stoic trying to hide her concern.

Suddenly Skye screams as Buffy's head appears by the window, her Raven hair moving around with her.  
"Ask later!" She yells at them all before moving her head back.

The blonde raises the guarantees in a protective manner in front of her face as a truck pulls up in front of them and begins firing at them, groaning in annoyance she lowers her blade and aiming carefully she launches it at an oncoming car, sending it crashing into the front windshield.

"Cover your eyes!" She yells into Simmon's open window just as the truck she had sent the blade into explodes.

Grinning the blonde winces as she feels a bullet graze her cheek, turning her head her eyes widen as she spots the car coming up behind them.

Tilting her head she glances at it before grabbing one of the blades lined up against her thigh and launches it at one of the front wheels just as May drives them onto the bus.

As the Shield team exit, the van Buffy leaps off the roof before frowning at the one person missing from the team's lineup "Where the hell is Coulson?"

May sighs before running up the stairs, Buffy groans, how the hell was she supposed to yell at Coulson if he wasn't around?

All thoughts of her future argument with Coulson were quickly pushed aside as Buffy spots Fitzsimmons and Skye standing in the line of fire, moving in front of the three of them she raises the gauntlets protecting her face as bullets fired at her bouncing off the metal.

"Get down!" Buffy yells all of them before she spots Coulson and several others running onto the jet, Coulson's eyes widen at the sight of her before Ward grabs him forcing him to the ground while Buffy slams her forearms together letting out a concussive blast sending the car speeding towards the plane flying through the air before crashing back to the ground this time with the roof face down.

Buffy takes a deep breath and while everyone stands the blonde wipes the blood from her face just as the plane begins to take off.  
Seems like May was back behind the controls.

"What was the problem." The Avenger hears Agent Ward ask Fitzsimmons causing her to turn around and frown in confusion.

Fitz sighs "As I said before, this device has a high-frequency, fluctuating sub-material compression..."  
Ward cuts him off "Fitz, English."

"Tesseract technology." Buffy interrupts causing the team to turn to them and stare in shock "Rogers recognized the design in the file Fury sent me. It's similar to that. Gamma radiation blablabla and a whole lot of science mumbo-jumbo I will never understand."

Slowly all of the Agents glance down at the bag currently holding the 084 and all of them except for Buffy step away from it making the blonde roll her eyes "Really?"

Shaking her head Buffy turns to Coulson with a big smile on her face...a smile that wouldn't last for long "Hi Phil, how you been? Good, good. Now wanna explain to why the hell you're still alive! Before I kill you!"


	3. Chapter 3

"And stupid! Very very stupid! Like beyond stupid!" Buffy yells as she May and Coulson stand in the pilot's room while she continued to scream at him, she still had her wig on but had switched out to one of May's suits and shield jacket's so that she wasn't just chilling around in her metal getup. She currently had her glasses off but the minute she was done in here she would have to put them back on.

"Like extremely stupid! Like honestly you are reaching Andrew type stupidity!"

Coulson merely remains there in shock as the currently raven-haired Slayer/Avenger who he admired so much continued to scream at him like there was no tomorrow.

Honestly, if this had been any other time he would be freaking out right now, cause despite the fact she was terrifying it was also so awesome.

"Buffy—" Coulson tries but she holds up her hand cutting him off reminding him so much of her father as she does "No!" She yells "And another thing! You don't go all quiet when you do come back from the dead! I was dead for three months and still made it to the Stark brunch what is your excuse!"  
Coulson sighs "Are you done screaming at me?"

"No!" The raven-haired Slayer yells before opening her mouth to continue yelling only for her eyes to widen "I got nothing."

"Good." Coulson breathes only to wince as Buffy slaps him across the face when he stares in shock and May keeps herself from laughing Buffy merely shrugs "Sorry I promised Pepper. It was either that or do what Clint suggested and toss you out a window."

"You could still do that." May jokes making Coulson glare at her, honestly, it was odd seeing May like this, she seemed to only act like her old self around the blonde.

"You're not helping." Coulson points out while May shrugs "I like her better than you."

Buffy grins smugly before sighing, her and Coulson remain in silence for a moment before she rolls her eyes and hugs him tightly "I'm glad you're alive." She whispers before pulling away and smiling.  
Coulson smiles at the girl before turning to May who wouldn't even look at him.  
Buffy sighs and sits next to her sort of another mother figure "What happened to no field work?"

"There wasn't supposed to be any. I'm just supposed to be the driver." She says harshly as she glares over at Coulson before turning back to Buffy "How was Italy with Romanoff?" She asks ignoring Coulson as she tried to catch up with the blonde.  
Buffy smiles in amusement "Good, we hijacked a bachelorette party. You missed a good time."

"Next time." May says with a smile before Coulson leans his head in-between the two.

"Sorry to interrupt girl time." He says before focusing on May "I know you didn't want to see combat. I apologize for that. Do you need anything before I go check on the device fueled by evil sitting in our cargo hold?"

When May doesn't say anything Buffy giggles softly before grabbing her goggles and slipping them onto her face before tapping Coulson on the shoulder "Burn." She whispers before pulling him away from May.  
"Thanks Bu—Anne!" May yells out remembering not to use the blonde's real name.  
"Anytime!" Buffy yells back before she and Coulson head towards the Cargo hold "That was fun."

* * *

Buffy listens in amusement as she follows Coulson down into the cargo hold where a lab had been set up allowing Fitz and Simmons to work on the device, well at the moment it was more of a case of Fitz and Ward arguing while Skye and Simmons listened uncomfortably.

At the sound of footsteps Fitz looks up and his go extremely wide making Simmons frown "Fitz? Fitz?"  
Fitz merely raises a shaky hand gesturing to Buffy "That's—that's—she's—she's..."  
Simmon's eyes widen and fill with glee before she turns to her best friend with a big fake smile "Don't embarrass us."  
"Of course not." Fitz hisses before wincing as Ward continues to yell at him.

"This is just entertaining." Buffy says loudly drawing everyone's attention, Fitz pulls away from Simmons before running over to the Avenger and grabbing her hand shaking it wildly "It's a pleasure! A true pleasure, to make your acquaintance, Slayer, or Avenger or Agent...what—"

"Agent Summers." Coulson interrupts drawings Fitz's attention "She's here on orders of Fury."

"Please." Buffy scoffs "I was bored plus I had a bone to pick with you. Plus it was me or Romanoff." While Coulson pales at the idea Buffy turns to Fitz and smiles "Call me Anne." She tells him before Simmons walks over as Fitz remains completely unmoving as he stares at the raven-haired avenger.

"Sorry about him." Simmons says sweetly before smiling at Buffy "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Summers. Honestly, everyone at the lab talks about you..."

"Cool fanclub." Buffy says with a laugh before glancing at the device on the table while Coulson heads over to the other people on his plane, the people he had picked up at Peru.

"Skye right?" Buffy asks turning to hacker girl who nods and looks at Buffy nervously.  
"You're van was pretty cool." Buffy tells the hacker who's eyes shine like the sun at the Avengers words.  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before frowning "Hold on weren't you the girl who hacked into Stark Industries last year?" She asks remembering back to the file.

Skye's eyes widen in a panic while Buffy laughs "Stark's server is not as big as his ego."  
"It was easier than I expected."

Buffy smiles sweetly at the hacker before the two of them stand side by side watching as Fitz and Ward continue to argue nonsense at each other.

"I really wish I had popcorn." Buffy whispers only for her eyes to widen as Simmons walks over and hands her a small pack of popcorn.  
"I so like it here." The Slayer chuckles before offering Skye some of the popcorn.

Buffy couldn't help but laugh as she watches the all American boy argue with the brit "This reminds me of home."

"Do we have a problem in here?" Coulson asks as he walks back over to the group, Buffy groans as the boys stop arguing "Come on AC it was just getting good!"  
Coulson turns to the Slayer "Are you 24 or 10?"  
"You forget who my father is."  
At her point Coulson couldn't help but shrug, that was a good point "Fair enough."

"Who's your father?" Simmons asks in utter confusion only making Buffy shrug "Time for my least favourite word. That's Classified."

Coulson sighs, having Buffy on his bus was going to be a whole new type of pain in the ass, she seemed to have only gotten crazier and more starkish since she was a teenager.

"Anything else?"

The whole room goes silent to a hesitant Skye slowly raises her hand "Uh, yeah. I have a small question. Because I've been feeling like the tagalong hayseed rookie, but now I get the sense Ward doesn't know which one's Simmons and which one's Fitz..." Buffy scoffs, biting her lip to keep from laughing as the hacker continues "...and they've seen even less gunfire than me, and I'm no rocket scientist, but is this your first mission together?"

Buffy turns her head towards Coulson, she was probably finding this way more amusing than she should "Really Coulson, you literally built a team which sounds more like a bad sitcom."  
"Stop with the commentary." He tells her only making her smirk.  
Simmons quietly pipes into the conversation "No...of course not."

When Buffy and Skye both turn to glance at the Agent with unbelieving expressions Simmons winces "It's our second."  
Buffy smirks "Romanoff so owes me 50 dollars."  
Coulson frowns at that "You're a billionaire and all she bet was $50?"

"How was she supposed to pay me if it had been more?" Buffy points out making Coulson shrug, again she had a point.

"Why are you finding this so amusing?" Ward asks the Avenger with an annoyed tone which merely made the Slayer turn to him and cross her arms, when she glares up at him for the first time a brief look of fear crosses his features.

"You made his robot face move." Skye whispers in amazement while Buffy smirks before turning to look at the group "Look I get it you're all scared, but suck it up, you may not like each other yet...trust me I get that...I did sort of put Hawkeye in the hospital..."  
"Cool." Skye mutters while Grant rolls his eyes at the Avenger.

"This isn't about that." Ward says sternly as he turns to Coulson "I'm a specialist."

"In what?" Buffy asks "In stoic depressing expressions? I can totally see you teaching moody teens how to brood."  
"Sir why is she even here!" Ward groans in annoyance as he turns to Coulson who glares at him "Have respect Agent Ward." Coulson hisses.

Ward sighs "Look, I'm just saying I could have eliminated the enemy threat myself if I was working alone, but I had non-combat-ready agents."

Buffy glances at Skye as Fitz begins arguing talking and weapons and all that "It could be worse." She points out to the hacker "May could be threatening to kill us all."  
Skye chuckles "Yeah, she doesn't like me very much."

Buffy arches a brow at that before remembering back to her own meeting with May, she had thought the exact same thing once upon a time, and now her and May were as close as could be.

"I use to think that too." Buffy tells the other girl before both of them turn back to watch as the scientist continue to argue with the specialist.

Slowly both women head over to Coulson as the other three continue to argue "See them proving the point we were making?"

Coulson sighs and glances at both women before turning back to the still arguing group "You're not wrong." He says loudly drawing everyone's attention "We still need to iron out the kinks."  
Buffy stifles a small laugh "Kinks? Coulson the fact that Fury sent me here means there are a few more than small kinks."

Coulson groans but couldn't find it in himself to argue, she was right Fury wouldn't have sent her if his team weren't off to such a rough patch.

"Okay more than a few kinks." Coulson says agreeing with the wigged Slayer "But Ward..." He turns to the Specialist "You can speak six languages. Simmons, you have two PhDs in fields I can't pronounce, and, Fitz you are a rocket scientist. Plus right now we have a literally Avenger on our bus. So work it out."

With that Coulson heads out of the room and out onto the bridge, Buffy sighs before glancing around the group who had just been pulled apart "That was entertaining."


	4. Chapter 4

"So how strong are you? Can you lift a car?" Skye asks excitedly as she and Buffy sit in the kitchen opposite each other, and while Skye continued to pile question after question at Buffy, the blonde who was currently trying not to scratch her head from where the wig was itching, was merely eating the cheetoes in front of her.

She hadn't answered a single question but not because she wasn't allowed to, more to do with the fact that every time she tried to answer one Skye would throw another five her way.

"So can you?" Skye repeats shaking Buffy from her thoughts "Huh?"  
Skye merely laughs "Lift a car."  
Buffy lets out a small smile "A slow-moving car."

Skye whistles softly before leaning back in her seat watching the Slayer "I heard you fought the hulk and the Asgardian."

Buffy winces at the memories "I don't really like to talk about...the incident." She says weakly, not wanting to think about it at all, all it did was spur memories of her best friend dying.

Skye nods, despite the sunglasses currently hiding the Avenger's face the orphan could see from Buffy's body language that they needed to change the subject and quick.

"You're like a for real superhero." Skye continues still in astonishment that she was currently 'hanging out' with an Avenger, when Buffy merely shakes her head in amusement Skye winces in embarrassment "Sorry, it's just so surreal. When did you get your powers—how—"

Buffy cuts the brunette off before she could go back into the question babble "Skye, breathe...I can't answer everything but I've had my powers almost..." Buffy pauses trying to think before it actually hits her how long "Wow...god ten years almost."

Skye's eyes go wide "What?!"

Buffy lets out a small breath, she could barely believe it herself "I got them when I was 15, I'm 24 so yeah...almost 10 years."

Skye leans back in her seat and watches the raven-haired super-hero, she liked Anne, honestly, there was something about her that reminded her of herself, like two kindred spirits. They had both had tough childhoods, Anne's from powers while Skye's from foster homes.

"Wow." Was all the hacker could muster up herself to say.

Buffy nods and lets out a small breath "Yeah. Honestly...kind of sucked. Powers like I have come with strings attached. Leads to a lot of loss. And when you're a teenager it sucks. Control was a big factor with the suckage. I still have problems with it..." Buffy sighs softly thinking about how out of control her powers had been lately, it was like she had been getting some crazy magic boost making her powers go haywire.

Shaking her head she continues, "I didn't want my powers, I tried everything I could to deny who I was, but one day it clicked. I have my powers for a reason, what kind of person would I be if I didn't use them?"

At her words, Skye nods in understanding "Makes sense...I just..." She lets out a small breath "I couldn't imagine having powers."

Buffy smiles before she spots Ward sat in the corner reading by himself, she couldn't help but get an odd feeling off him "What's his story?"

Skye frowns before turning to glance at Ward before rolling her eyes as she turns back to Buffy "Beats me. Me and him wrong foot." Skye tilts her head before she spots the look on Buffy's face "You don't trust him."  
"I don't trust anyone with that much perfect bone structure."  
Skye arches a brow at that "Aren't you like bffs with Steve Rogers."

Buffy opens her mouth to argue before rolling her eyes "Steve is the worst liar I have ever met, trust me, that boy wouldn't hurt a fly, but him..." She says gesturing to Ward "I don't get a good read."

Skye frowns before an idea comes to her, grabbing the bottle of rum next to Buffy she smirks "Well, you know what they say, keep your friends close and your...suspious people closer."

As Skye winks and heads over to Ward Buffy shakes her head in amusement before she glances around the bus.

Glancing around at the men they had saved from the attack she couldn't help but frown as she spots them throwing looks over at Ward.

However, before she could think more about it her phone starts ringing, glancing down at the caller I.D she couldn't help but grin as she answers "Speak of the devil and he shall finally figure out how his speed-dial works."

 _"_ _You were talking about me?"_ Steve teases making Buffy roll her eyes, she was becoming a bad influence on him.  
Standing she quickly makes her way out of the room and into the interrogation room down the hall closing the door behind her.

"So Rogers what can I do for you old man?" She teases as she moves to sit on the table in the center of the room.  
Steve chuckles in amusement, _"How's the mission?"  
_ Buffy pauses "Let's see, yelled at Coulson totally fun, saved the little baby agents when they were under gunfire, other than that and this itchy ass wig nothing of much interest."  
 _"_ _You yelled at Coulson?"  
_ "Yep."  
 _"_ _Good."_

Buffy couldn't help but smirk "Oooh that was cold Rogers."  
 _"_ _What can I say, you're rubbing off on me."  
_ Buffy shakes her head in amusement "Yeah, must be like being around my gramps all over again."

As she laughs at her own joke she doesn't seem to notice Steve clear his throat uncomfortably, as though he didn't like thinking of her as his old friend's grand-daughter.

When she finally stops laughing Buffy clears her throat "So what do I owe the pleasure to?"  
 _"_ _Um..."_ Steve coughs nervously _"I'm staying in Washington Buffy."_

Buffy's eyes widen at that, she knew that Steve had been dabbling with the idea of going back to New York, a part of her was happy that he was staying and a small part of her was nervous but she wasn't sure why.  
Slowly a small grin covers her face "How about that wifi lesson?"  
 _"_ _I—I'd love that."_

Buffy smiles only to pause as a large alarm goes off before the sound of a lock turning catches her attention.

"Steve I gotta call you back." With that, the blonde hangs up the phone before moving towards the door.  
Putting her hand on the handle she yanks on it only for her eyes to widen as the door doesn't budge. She was locked in.

Groaning in annoyance she looks around the room in a panic, this wasn't good, she should have realized that the tingling in the back of her mind about something being off was right.

Bringing her finger to her glasses she presses on the small button on the side bringing blue screens in front of her eyes; waking up Jarvis.  
 _"_ _Miss Summers? How may I assist?"_

Buffy glances around the interrogation room before groaning "What's going on Jar?"  
 _"_ _Hacking into security footage now..."_ Buffy's eyes widen as the footage pops up on the screen in front of her _"It seems as though Reyes is holding Agent Coulson hostage, she is attempting to get the plane's route changed."_

Buffy lets out a small breath as her brain begins trying to figure out what the hell she was going to do next.

Quickly kicking herself into the rescue mood she begins pressing her hands against the metal walls, looking for a weak point "Where are the others?"

 _"_ _Agents Ward, Simmons and Fitz along with Skye are in the cargo bay, they seem to be restrained."  
_ Buffy pauses, there was one person that had been left out "Jar what about May?"

There is a pause of silence making Buffy rolls her eyes "Jarvis!"

 _"_ _I'd rather not answer that Miss Summers. You get rather testy when you hear things you aren't happy with. Honestly, I believe you may have inherited your father's temper."_

Buffy clenches her jaw at that, the damn computer system had the nerve to question her anger, wrong move "I can re-write your code you know, and I'm sure the pretty hacker girl downstairs would be happy to start swimming around your brain...or computer network thing."

Jarvis sighs which just made Buffy cross her arms, he was becoming too human for her liking, it was getting creepy _"Agent May is currently unconscious in the cargo bay while the team attempt to work together. They are currently talking about May's status as the Calvary."_

Buffy shakes her head in disappointment "Never call her that."


	5. Chapter 5

"She's the Calvary!" Fitz and Simmons exclaim in astonishment before their excitement is quickly wiped away as May groans slowly waking herself back up.

"I told you never to call me that." She groans as everyone quickly turns to her watching as she attempts to get up.

Simmoms merely grins happily knowing they were saved "I can't believe it." She breaths out in astonishment "We have an Avenger and the Calvary. We're sure to get out of here now. How do we get out of here?"  
May ignores the question as her eyes scan the group before emotion fills them making everyone pause in shock at the worried look on her face "Where's Anne?"  
Skye shrugs "She got a call, disappeared into the interrigation room."

May groans knowing that room was near impossible to get through when the plane was on lockdown "They would have locked her in. Dammit. We need a plan."

* * *

"How to I get through Jar?" Buffy asks as she faces the door which was currently bolted shut in front of her.  
 _"_ _The metal is extremely strong, made from similar metals that form Captain Rogers' shield."_

Buffy groans, she knew she couldn't crush metal that strong, she had already tried to see if she could scratch cap's shield which only resounded in her breaking her newly done nails.  
"Okay, any weak points?"  
 _"_ _Non that I can see."_

Buffy groans in annoyance, her worry for the others overhelming her she glances around the ground before grabbing the table, ripping it's bolted legs from the ground and launching it at the door only for it to shatter to pieces on impact.

Groaning she grabs the scythe from her holster and swings it at the wall but again the scythe barely scratches the metal.

 _"_ _Might I suggest your guantleets. If you hit them together hard enough it should create a powerful enough wave to destroy the door and possible shatter all the glass in the plane."_

Buffy nods "Works for me." She mumbles before reattaching the scythe however before she could slam her guantles together Jarvis pipes up again making her groans _"Miss Summers. You need to be cautious, it seems the alien object currently on this plane is an extremely sensitive and explosive weapon you could set it off and destroy the entire plane."_

Buffy groans, why couldn't anything in her life ever be easy, as though the world was torturing her a small image of her father pops up the left side of her glasses making her groan loudly "Jarvis send him to voicemail..."

 _"_ _I'm afraid—I—So—hosnofn..."_

As Jarvis begins to just sound like static Buffy sighs as she spots her father's grinning face come onto the screen " _Hey kiddo, sorry for hacking Jar, just wondering if you could pop the idiot Agent on."  
_ Buffy winces at that "Dad, now is not a good time."  
 _"_ _Hey common on I'm not gonna yell...okay maybe just a little..."_

Buffy sighs knowing she was going to get hell for this later before she didn't have time for this now "Sorry daddy." She whispers before hanging up the phone and raising her guantleets.

Taking a deep breath Buffy closes her eyes summoning her strength before she slams the gauntlets together letting out a concussive wave destroying the entire wall of the interrogation room leaving a gaping hole.

Buffy lets out a small breath before the sound of glass shattering makes her wince "Fury's gonna kill me if I broke the fish tank."

* * *

Skye, Fitz, Simmons and Ward all watch impressed as May who had broken her wrist to escape the binds kills one of the guards before putting her wrists back into place "What's next?"

However, before any of them could say a word about the next part of the plan a large concussive wave causes the whole plane to vibrate and the glass doors behind May to shatter.

"What the hell was that?!" Skye screams.

May pauses for a moment before her eyes fill with panic "Buffy." She whispers too quietly for anyone to hear her before she turns to the others "It's Summers. Seems like she's escaped her interrigation room."

Simmons frowns, she and Fitz had helped design that room, it was practically impossible to escape from "How did she do that?"

Skye merely chuckles "She's an Avenger."

* * *

Buffy runs out of the large hole she had made in the bus and couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the guys on the ground who were buried underneath the rubble she caused.

"I'm awesome." She chuckles before she runs down the hall, spotting men coming towards her Buffy leaps up wrapping her legs around one of their necks and flipping backward sending him crashing straight into another.

Dropping to her knees she launches the scythe down the hall removing the hand of the guy with the gun currently aimed at her.

She continues down the halls and when another one of Reyes men comes at her Buffy merely shoves him face first into the wall knocking him uncounsious without even bothering to stop running.

Running into the bar area her eyes widen as she spots Reyes holding a gun to Coulson's head in shock. Buffy merely smirks knowing she was the reason for the shock, she had single handedly taken out all of her men.

"Hi!" She says with a grin before she launches the scythe towards Reyes, the stake end embeds itself in Reyes' shoulder pinning her to the wall.

Buffy sighs in relief as she runs over to Coulson "Are you okay?"

Coulson nods before his eyes widen as he spots one of Fitz's mechanical dwarfs moving towards them.

"Buffy hold on!" He yells as alien tech weapon suddenly comes to life blasting a hole into the side of the plane.

Buffy's eyes widen grabbing onto Coulson she quickly grabs her bo-staff and stabs it into the wall, holding onto Coulson tightly she keeps them both from plummeting out of the plane while Reyes men continue to fly out one after the other.

Buffy groans in annoyance before she glances back to spot Ward and the others coming into the room, Ward moves to fight only to frown when he realizes Buffy had already taken out all of the men "Really!" He yells.

"Stop complaining!" She yells before turning to Fitz and Simmons "Close the damn thing!"  
"We don't know how!"

Buffy sighs before she attaches Coulson to the bo-staff before she moves away.

"Buffy!" Coulson yells as she locks the staff so he couldn't escape, she sighs at his worried gaze "I'll be fine!"

Running forward she spots Fitz and Simmons struggling to get a hold of the 084, moving them both out of the way she reaches into her belt and pulls out one of her father's trinkets. It was supposed to work on the tech left behind after the incident she just hoped it worked.

Placing the device on top of the 084 she sighs in relief as a small foam forms around it, lifting it she tosses it at the two of them "Go!" She yells.

Moving forward her eyes widen as she spots on of Reyes men that she had knocked out running at her.

He tackles her to the ground and the two of them go tumbling towards the hole in the plane.

Buffy's eyes widen she kicks the guys in front of her so he goes out the hole first before she raises her hand summoning the scythe towards her.

However, it was a second too late and she goes tumbling out of the plan with the scythe following her.

A mere second after the Avenger/Slayer went tumbling out Skye releases the emergency raft sending it at the hole stopping it from sucking the rest of them out.

Letting out a small breath her eyes widen as she realizes that Buffy had gone flying out of the plane "Did we kill an Avenger?!"

Coulson's eyes widen and he finally manages to detach himself from the bo-staff, quickly handcuffing the still injured Reyes to the pole he had been tied to not long ago he makes his way towards his team hoping they were wrong, that Buffy was fine.

Letting out a small breath he doesn't have time to grief as the glass window beside Skye shatters inwards before the Avenger in question comes tumbling inside.

As Buffy lands on the ground she lets out a small breath "I need a vacation." Wincing she sits up and wipes the blood from her forehead before she glances around the destroyed room, slowly her eyes land on Coulson "Fury's gonna kill you."


	6. Chapter 6

"Really!?" Fury exclaims as he looks in-between Coulson and Buffy who was now stood still with her wig on but because it was just them she had put her glasses down and was happily now in her jeans, those leather outfits sucked sometimes.

"Really Coulson! Six days!" He continues causing Buffy to stifle a laugh "It only took you 6 days to take a completely renovated state of the art machinery and turn it into scrap."

Coulson remains emotionless before glancing at Buffy "Stark here is responsible for a large portion of the damage, including the fish tank."

Buffy eyes widen, he had seriously just sold her out! Slapping his chest lightly but with enough strength to make him wince she glares at him "You suck. I'm the one that has to sit in a car with him for three hours!"

Fury turns his glare onto the wig-wearing Slayer "You! I sent you here to fix this team! Not to turn the plane into another one of your family homes!"  
Buffy opens her mouth to respond but there was nothing to say, just silence, he had a point there, plus she didn't want to anger him any more.

Fury sighs "Unlike you Miss Stark SHIELD does not have all the money in the world!" He turns back to Coulson "Do you have any idea how much this plane costs?! It's got a bar." Pausing he moves over to the destroyed bar and sighs sadly, it was such a waste "Really nice one."

Buffy chuckles softly and leans over to Coulson "He's gonna downgrade your ass."  
"You're enjoying this."

"Yep." She says cheerfully before she watches as an angry Fury walks back over to the two of them, his gaze focused on Coulson.

"I want it fixed, just like you found it. So don't have FitzSimmoms making any modifications like a damn..." he pauses as he remembers what Coulson had said, "You added a damn fish tank!"

Coulson winces "Yes sir."  
Fury sighs, this was one hell of a day "And the new girl...she's a risk."  
Coulson nods "I know sir."

Buffy thinks about Skye for a moment, she was hiding something that was obvious enough, but honestly, she reminded her a lot of herself before she had come to accept her responsibilities. She knew this girl was going to surprise them all.

"Let's go Summers." Fury says as he walks past Coulson, Buffy rolls her eyes "Let's go Summers." She mimics under her breaths before following after him.

"I heard that!" He hisses making her groan, she was going to get an earful on the drive back to Washington.

Buffy shakes her head before glancing back at Coulson "Kill the fish tank!" She mouths before following after Fury.

* * *

One Week Later

Buffy walks through the headquarters of SHIELD towards her office, for once she was glad that she was not in her suit, she was still exhausted from her mission last night with Steve, so right now playing dress up as the weapons and clean energy consultant from Stark Industries sounded like heaven. And by playing consult she actually meant taking a long ass nap in her office before eating Chinese food or maybe Thai, it was Rogers' turn to pick the food, to be honest.

Walking into her office the click of her heels come to a sudden stop at the sight of her least favorite Director sat in her chair.

Buffy groans "You by default are my favorite Director so I'm gonna say this once, get out of my chair."  
Fury chuckles before turning in the chair away from the view of the city towards the blonde "You know, I like this office, I should have given you a crappier one, less chance of you napping."

Buffy sighs before shrugging "There is never a chance of me not napping." She points out as she sits in the chair opposite him.  
Fury chuckles at her response before he stands "Come on." He tells her making her groan as she looks down at the chocolate bar she was about to bite into "But—"

"Come on Summers." He laughs before he grabs her shoulders and leads her off of her chair and out of the room.

"You're not gonna kill me are you?" Buffy asks curiously as he leads her down the hall "To be honest I like this outfit, I'd rather not be killed in it, it's too cute to be covered in blood."  
"You need to sort out your priorities." Fury points out before pushing open the door he had lead them to.

As he walks inside Buffy remains in the doorward watching with wide eyes as a dark skin man runs at a car and begins moving it slowly across the training room.  
She lets out a small breath before her eyes widen even more as the man turns to her, her jaw slackens, this wasn't possible, no way.

"Gunn?"

Mike Peterson pauses at the word, it had been a long time since anyone had called him that, turning his attention towards the small blonde he smiles brightly at the sight of her, it shouldn't be possible but here they were "Buffy?"  
Buffy lets out a small breath before making her way towards him and hugging him "What are you doing here?" She asks in astonishment while a confused Fury steps up to the two of them "You two know each other?"

Mike nods "Yeah, bout 10 years ago. You were what 15?" Buffy laughs remembering while Mike continues "Fighting off a hoard of vamps that had attacked my guys."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement "Yeah well you were new to the game, needed my help."

"Girl please." Mike brushes her off before smiling.  
Buffy smiles back before she realizes something "You're Mike Peterson now?"

Mike nods "Yeah, changed it couple years back. After Angel..." When Mike trails off Buffy looks down and nods sadly, she knew what he meant she just didn't want to talk about her dead ex right now.

Forcing a smile on her face she tries to clarify a few things for her own sanity "You have a kid." She says remembering back to the file Fury had given her weeks ago when he had first been brought in "How did I not know that?"  
"No one knew, except my sisters. When my younger sister died we put Ace in hiding. We only reunited a couple of years ago."

Buffy gives him a sympathetic smile, she couldn't imagine being forced to watch your child grow up without you while trying to protect them. It sounded so heartbreaking.

Pausing for a moment she places a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him her support "We will make sure your strength is manageable Gun—Mike."

When she uses his new name Mike smiles brightly before throwing an arm over the blonde and leading her to the car he had just been moving "Should we see if I can beat Cap's record?"  
Buffy merely glances back at Fury who smirks in amusement, laughing softly she turns back to Mike "The only person who's ever beaten Steve's record is me, so good luck with that."

* * *

After a few hours of training with Mike Buffy walks into her apartment and flops down onto her couch face first, moaning in exhausting she mumbles curses into one of the fluffy pillows.

Sighing she remains there for a few moments before she finally pulls herself off the couch, groaning she moves into the kitchen and grabs the juice out of the fridge.

Sitting at her countertop she could help but think back over the past events that had occurred in the last two weeks, from moving to another apartment after her father had brought the last one, to meeting the meant to be dead Coulson and saving his team to finally being reunited with a blast from the past, to put it simply...it had been a hell of a week.

"Next time you hang up on me..." A mechanical voice says from behind her causing Buffy to groan, while normally she wound have launched a knife at the unknown figure in her home today she figured he was going to show up, honestly, she was surprised it had taken him this long in the first place.

Turning around she watches as her father climbs out of the new Iron Man suit before scalding her, she ignores his glare "Pepper know you're flying around in that?"  
"Yes!" He hisses but when she gives him an arched eyebrow he groans and mumbles under his breath "No."  
Buffy sighs before crossing her arms "She's gonna kill you."  
"She's not gonna find out."  
Buffy lets out a small laugh "Really?" She asks not believing a word of it but he merely glares at her "Don't you say a damn thing."

Buffy rolls her eyes before sitting on her counter waiting for him to begin his lecture for her hanging up on him the other day "Have at it."

Tony sighs before looking at her seriously "Did you kill Coulson?"  
"No."  
He groans "You should have killed him."  
"No."  
"But—"  
"No!"

Tony groans before he turns to her once more "Stop hanging up on me when I am trying to have a conversation with you."  
Buffy lets out a small breath and shakes her head "Stop calling me when I'm on missions." She pauses for a moment before another thought comes to her "And stop breaking into my apartment!"

Tony merely shrugs not realizing that what he was about to say was going to get him in a lot of trouble "Not breaking in if I own the building."

Buffy's eyes widen in fury, he had done it again, she had already had to move out of one perfectly good apartment because of his obsession with watching her 24/7 and now she was going to have to do it again.

Instead of speaking she reaches forward and rips her dining table from the floor, tearing apart the bolts holding it down.

Tony's eyes widen "Oh shit!" He hisses before he dives back into the suit just as she launches the dining table at him.


	7. Chapter 7

One Month Later

"You're gonna break the bag." Steve points out as he watches with a worried frown while Buffy continues to pound on the punching bag in front of her causing it to swing violently.

Buffy merely shrugs and punches the bag harder "I've broken enough of them." She says before she takes one final punch sending the bag flying across the room right past the blonde-haired soldier who was watching her as he wrapped his own hands.

Steve stands and moves over to the woman who had become his best friend, watching her he couldn't help but worry, for the past few months since he had picked her up in Malibu he had tried to help her, helped her with her PTSD after being held hostage and tortured and in return she had helped him, helped him learn to adjust to this world.

"Buffy." He says softly as he makes his way towards her and places his hands on her shoulders turning her towards him "Come on talk to me, what happened?"

Buffy looks up at his beautiful blue eyes and shakes her head before sighing and moving away and running her shaky hands through her hands "He bought my apartment again!" She groans loudly as she beins pacing around the room before glancing at her friend "Not even just the apartment, he bought my entire building! He's going nuts!"

Steve couldn't help but smile, not that he would admit it but he found her frustration adorable "Starks have a habit of doing that when they're alone."  
Buffy pauses in her steps and turns to him, crossing her arms across her chest and titls her head at him with a slightly offended.  
It's then that Steve realizes his mistake, he always seemed to forget that she was a Stark "Um...I...um...uh..."

Buffy giggles softly as he begins sputtering slightly "Don't worry, we Stark's are a little crazy. So you're right."  
Steve shakes his head in amusement, this woman was going to be the death of him at some point "You're trying to kill me."  
"Nah." She teases "Who else would allow me to toss them around the training room."

Steve smiles before he watches as she begins pacing again, frowning he watches her mumble to herself about having to find a new place to live when he comes up with either the stupest idea ever or the best idea ever.

"Stay here."

Buffy who had just pulled a pack of Doritos out of Steve's bookcase that she had hidden there last time she was there freezes mid bite.  
Her jaw slackens and she remains there in shock, if she was gonna say anything, it was that she totally did not expect that.

"I'm sorry, what the huh?"

Steve clears his throat nervously before gesturing around his apartment "Stay here. I have a spair room and honestly...I could use the company."  
Buffy opens her mouth unsure of what to say but he cuts her off before she could say anything "He doesn't own this building, trust me...I checked."  
Buffy lets out a small giggle before looking around the apartment, money wasn't a problem for her, she could easily afford somewhere new, but his offer was so tempting.

Smiling brightly at him she nods "Let's do it."

* * *

One Week Later

"How can you possibly have this many shoes?" Steve asks in astonishment as he drops Buffy's final box of stuff in her room before sighing at the sight of what was now the 8th box of shoes.

Buffy pops her head out from her wardrobe before raising an eyebrow "Didn't your mother teach you never to question a woman's right to shoes?" She jokes before diving back into the closest attempting to organize everything.

Steve shakes his head in amusement before moving to sit down on her bed, he probably should have realized that a Stark would have a lot of stuff.

"I thought all your stuff was destroyed with Sunnydale?" he asks as he spots a photo on her nightstand of her, Tony and her mom. He couldn't help but stare in astonishment at the photo, it was so hard to see Tony as a family man, yes when Buffy was around he was different but imagining Tony raising a kid was just weird.

To be fair he had thought the same about Howard.

"All the stuff at that house yeah." Buffy corrects as she climbs out of wardrobe and chuckles at the sight of him "You comfortable there?"  
Steve's eyes widen "Oh sorry..."  
Buffy chuckles as he panics "Steve it's just a bed, it's not like you tried the naked man."  
"The what?" He asks his eyes wide with confusion like a child.

Buffy opens her mouth to explain before shaking her head, she didn't want to open that whole bag of worms that was sitcom television.

"Doesn't matter."

Steve sighs before standing and heading into their living room he had to admit the place looked better now, it had been bare before but Buffy being a Stark and well Buffy had wanted to... 'girl it up' slightly as she put it.

He had agrued but then she reminded him what would happen if her father found out they were living together, so unless he wanted security cameras and Jarvis invading the place then he could let her throw a couple throw pillows on the couch.

For him, though the biggest change was having photos again, he had three photos that he carried around with him, one of Bucky, one of his mother and one of Peggy.

But Buffy had photos of her mom, her dad, Rhodey, her friends, hell she even had one with Natasha and had somehow managed to convience him to take a photo, so sat on the coffee table was a photo of the two of them and just the sight of it warmed his heart.

"You hungry?" He calls out as he forces his gaze away from the photo and heads into the kitchen.

Buffy stumbles over the boxes and stares at him with wide eyes "You cook?"  
Steve pauses "Sort of." When Buffy merely chuckles and gives him an arched brow he rolls his eyes "Okay I can make sandwiches."

Buffy smiles before jumping up to sit on the counter grabbing the take out menus on the side "I can cook."

Steve stares at her stunned he didn't expect that honestly, Buffy didn't seem like the cooking type, "Off the counter." He tells her before he lets out an amused breath "You cook?"

Buffy rolls her eyes and climbs off the counter before grinning up at her friend "I cook..." She pauses before looking at him with a small shrug "...in theory."  
Steve shakes his head in amusement before raising an eyebrow teasingly "In theory?"

At his look, Buffy shrugs before picking up the pizza menu beside her "I order take out real good. Wanna see?"

* * *

 _"_ _Meet at the checkpoint."_

"Got it." Buffy tells Steve over comms before she leaps over the metal fence at the warehouse where Agent Sitwell was currently being detained. They were supposed to save him and blow the building before the men who had taken him could set off the bomb.

Running up the side of the building she leaps up grabbing onto the edge of a window before pulling herself up onto the balcony above.

 _"_ _Buffy, why are you in Ireland?!"_ The sudden voice of her father pipping in through her comms making her jump and fall right off the balcony.

She spins though the air before landing hard on her back ontop of a metal car, groaning as glass statters around her she couldn't help but huff, how the hell had her father hacked into her comms "Dad? What the hell are you doing?! I'm in the middle of a mission." She hisses quietly before she pulls herself off the now broken car and begins reclimbing back up the side of the building again.

 _"_ _I know, I hacked into Shield's server to see what mission you and Captain Spangle pants had been sent on. I don't know how I feel about this Buff, the area you're in Ireland is—"  
_ As her feet land back on the balcony once again Buffy freezes, their location hadn't been in the report just in case someone managed to hack into the system, how the hell did he...  
It's then that it hits her, and if her theory was correct she was so gonna kick his ass soon "Dad...answer this honestly, because if I think you're lying I'm gonna be a very unhappy Slayer."

She could practically hear him gulp in fear at her warning before she sighed really hoping that she was wrong "Did you put a tracker in my suit?"  
Tony coughs loudly and slowly begins sputtering in a panic "Well, I, um...I um..."

"Dad..." She hisses out warningly only to be responded by the sound of a dial tone.

Letting out an annoyed breath she switches on her glasses awakening Jarvis from his sleep "Jarvis why is there a tracker in my suit?"

 _"_ _That's inforced by the training wheels prototocal or for your specific suit...the Daddy's little girl protocal."_

At his words Buffy's eyes widen in horror he couldn't be serious, her dad could not seriously be that over-protrotective, yeah so she had died a couple of times but she always came back he didn't have reason to worry.  
Groaning in annoyance she clenches her jaw and tightens her hold on the scythe, suddenly feeling the need to hit something "Turn-it-off."

Jarvis who had learned never to argue with the young Summers Stark girl merely agreed to her request _"Of course Miss."_

With that done with, Buffy tries to focus back on her mission climbing in through the balcony doors her feet land silently on the ground.

Her eyes scan over the room in search for the Agent and when she spots him she couldn't help but sigh, a tiny part of her didn't want to rescue him. Sitwell was just...so annoying.  
His eyes widen in relief at the sight of her before she quickly brings a finger to her lips making it clear he needed to shut up and quick.  
Quickly leaping up she grabs drives one of her daggers into the ceiling and her legs go into a wide split one foot resting on one wall while alone rested on the other wide.

Looking down she watches as a figure enters the room in a dark trench coach before approaching Sitwell.

Buffy was about to jump down to end the man when he spoke making her pause "She doesn't like being tempered with."

Buffy frowns at that, who was this she? For some reason, the 'she' that Marcus had mentioned all those months ago popped into her mind before she shakes her head. It wasn't possible it was too much of a coincidence. And if there was one thing she didn't believe in, it was coincidences... and leprechauns.

Sitwell looks up at fear "Please...I don't know anything."

The man chuckles "Agent Sitwell, we know that Shield has secure files regarding Wolfram and Hart and Lilith wants those returned to her."  
Buffy frowns at that, yes she knew Shield had looked into Wolfram and Hart but what she found more interesting was finally having a name for the mystery woman.

The only question now was 'who was Lilith?'

When the man pulls out a gun and moves to kill him Buffy groans, couldn't they have just terrorized Sitwell a little longer so she could get more information before she had to take action?  
Groaning she drops down to the ground and grabs the back of the guys head launching him face first into the wall.

When he growls and turns to her Buffy finally sees his face and let's just say the whole no lips and fangs for teeth and blood oozing eyes were just unpleasant "Ewww." She groans before stepping the scythe into his shoulder pinning the demon to the wall.

"So since it seems like you'll be hanging around wanna answer a few questions?" When he seems unamused by her humor she frowns "Get it?" She asks tilting her head slighting "Hanging around?" Again he merely growls at her making her roll her eyes "Fine. So...who's Lilith?"

"She is your undoing!" He hisses before he slams his own head onto the axe end of the stake making her stare in astonishment, this woman had infeared so much loyalty or just plain fear that the demon would rather die than risk bertraying her.

Buffy clenches her jaw in frustration before she quickly frees Sitwell and grabs the scythe "Steve we're coming your way."

 _"_ _Everything all right?"_ He asks noticing the odd tone of her voice.

Buffy merely clenches her fist "No."


	8. Chapter 8

Two Weeks Later: New York

After weeks of speaking to her sources in the hope of finding the mysterious Lilith Buffy was exactly where she had started. Nowhere.  
But right now Lilith was the last thing on her mind, the first being the press currently behind the door in front of her.

Groaning she begins pacing back and forth just outside the doors, she had never done this before and she was beginning to panic, yes she had been to press conferences and events but it was never her speaking, normally she had been the one shaking her head in disappointment.

But today she was supposed to be announcing her position as the Stark Consultant with SHIELD and other intelligence agencies with clean energy projects and sharing Stark tech all under her eye. None of it was true which was made her more worried, what if she messed up, she had no interest in anyone finding out that she was the one behind the dark wig and mask, she had seen the trouble being Iron Man had done to her dad, same with Steve. She didn't want that.

As she continues to pace her hands were now shaking rapidly as she kept running her speech over and over in her head.

"Buffy, you ready?" Pepper asks as she pops her head out of the room where all the press was waiting only to find a nervous-looking Buffy "Buffy? Honey are you okay?"  
"Um...yeah...I mean no...I mean neah...I meant to say yes but the word no got in there." She rambles as she continues to pace.

"Pepper." Steve says as he quickly appears out of the press room and turns to the redhead "Stark wants to know if he can start playing AC/DC for Buffy's entrance. Since I don't know what that means..."

When he trails off Pepper groans before heading back inside while Steve turns to Buffy, his eyes widen in worry at the state of her.  
She was pale and pacing back and forth.  
"Buff." He says softly as he moves to stand in front of her "Are you okay?"

Buffy looks up at her friend with big terrified eyes "If I say no will that make me less of a badass?"  
Steve couldn't help but chuckle at that "Of course not. I don't think it's possible for you to be any less... badass." He says the last part of his sentence, clearly not liking the term.

Buffy merely smiles at his hesitance before she hears the press through the doors making her panic more "I can't do this. I have babble mouth; I babble badly, I don't exactly come with the confidence gene that seems to run in the Stark gene pool. I can do speeches yes, about fighting and monsters. But...in front of the press and...Cameras... that will add ten pounds!" She exclaims before panicking again.

Steve frowns wanting to do something, anything to calm her but he just had no idea what to do, stepping forward he places his hands on her shoulders before taking her hands in his forcing her to look at him "Look at me."  
"What?" She asks in confusion trying not to focus on the fact that his warm hands were currently entangled with her own, gulping slightly she looks at him still not understanding.

"You give me long lectures and speeches on different subjects every day." He reminds her smiling brightly at the blonde "Just imagine we're back at the apartment, just focus on me. Talk to me."  
Buffy looks up at him and nods nervously before he smiles and squeezes her hands softly, slowly he places a hand on her lower back and when she nods he pushes the doors open leading her inside.

As she makes her way to her podium she merely watches her father who was clearly pouting over not being over to be in charge of entrance music but when he spots her he gives her a big thumbs up which just makes her smile.

Standing straight she faces the press who begin throwing question and question at her, feeling herself panic she glances at Pepper who merely takes a deep breath gesturing for her to do the same.  
Buffy does but she quickly feels her panic growing and growing until her eyes land on a certain Captain standing at the back of the room watching her with a look she had only ever seen Angel and Spike give her. It was a little strange to have her friend giving her such a loving look but she couldn't help but smile before she finds herself calming.

* * *

"You did good." Pepper tells Buffy as she bites into her salad while the two women sit down for lunch while in the corner of the room Tony was arguing to Happy about something, what? She had no idea.

Buffy smiles thinking back to the press conference "Yeah I kick ass huh." She says with a laugh before picking up her burger only for Pepper to scald her.  
"It's a burger not like I'm eating one with the pope. You put on a tall hat and we'll talk."

Pepper shakes her head in amusement before watching the blonde for a moment, she couldn't help but smile at her next question "How's Captain Rogers?"  
"Steve?" Buffy asks her mouth still fun of meat when Pepper nods Buffy gulps down her food before shrugging "He's fine. Would have stayed for lunch but Fury called him."

Pepper nods smiling knowingly at Buffy who didn't seem to notice the look she was getting off the red-head "So are you guys gonna celebrate when you get back? Maybe go out to dinner?"  
Buffy scoffs at that "What with the press following us? Nada nope. Take out like usual." The blonde pauses and frowns at the look on Pepper's face "What's the about-face?"  
Pepper waves her off "No about-face...so, does your dad know you two are living together yet?"

Buffy frowns, Pepper was planning something here, it was all over her face "No, he hasn't bought the building yet so I'm gonna go with no. What's going on Pep."  
Pepper smiles slightly before looking at the blonde curiously "You and Steve?"  
Buffy's eyes widen in shock at that, that was the last thing she had expected Pepper to ask "Noo!"  
"Thou doth protest too much."

Buffy glares at the CEO of Stark Industries clearly she had been with Tony too long and he was beginning to rub off on her "You need to stop spending so much time with Dad. He's gonna taint you."

Pepper shakes her head in amusement before looking at her seriously "Buffy come on—"  
"There's nothing going on trust me."

Pepper shakes her head no believing a word of it, she had seen the two of them, the way he had calmed her down, and the way just the sight of her brought a smile to his face, something was going on even if neither of the idiot blondes realized it themselves "I saw you guys today you were panicking on that stage, the moment your eyes landed on him you were fine."

Buffy takes a deep breath, she refused to believe she had any form of feelings for Steve, he was her friend and that is what she needed him to be, her friend.

Luckily she doesn't have to defend herself as her father and Happy finally stop arguing and mumbling to themselves they finally take their seats at the table for the rest of lunch.

* * *

WASHINGTON

 _As Natasha closes the portal Buffy looks up tears filling her vision, she takes a gasping breath hoping for one last chance that Willow would make it but as the portal closed nothing came through. She was gone. Her best friend was gone._

 _Buffy gasps loudly "Noooo!" She cries out ignoring the blood dripping from her face as she looks up at the sky where her best friend had disappeared to save her father. To save the world._

 _/_

 _Johnny pauses as he lifts up an old high school yearbook, the edges were all burnt it literally looked like it had been put through the wringer, but as he flips through the pages something catches his eye._

 _Buffy's eyes widen for a second as he picks up her old yearbook, turning her head away she clenches her jaw swallowing the painful memories threatening to resurface._

 _"You know..." He says forcing her to turn back to face him "We're not so different you and me..." Water fills Buffy's eyes as he lifts the photo of her and Willow at their high school prom holding it out towards her._

 _Buffy's eyes soften at the photo for a moment as she remembers that photo that night had been a mess of complicated emotions but in that photo, she could really see one of the few moments of happiness that had occurred._

 _"...You just feel bad for the dead in your wake."_

 _/_

 _At his words, Buffy's eyes widen "Wait you're..."  
"From Wolfram and Hart. I believe your ex-beloved would have mentioned me."_

 _Buffy glares at him at the mention of Angel "He said you were dead."_

 _"Yes for a time." Marcus says simply as if it were no big deal before continuing "Although I did get him back in that respect."_

 _At his words, Buffy's entire body goes tense "Wh—wh—what?" She stutters out finding herself unable to speak._

 _/_

 _"Tony Stark is dead."_

 _As the words leave the Anchor's lips Buffy's entire body goes rigid, no, no, no, he wasn't dead, he couldn't be.  
Buffy shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks, she wouldn't believe it, her dad could not be gone._

 _Slowly as she watches the replay of what had happened at the scene her body begins shaking in horror, her face going deadly pale as she realizes that it was in fact true.  
"NOoooooooo!"_

"NOooooooooo" Buffy screams as she thrashes in her bed unable to escape from the nightmares plaguing her, it was all too much, so much pain, and death and suffering. It was too much.

Suddenly arms wrap around her shoulders but she was still trapped in her own horrors all she could feel was danger, grabbing the person's hands she flips them so they were pinned on their backs on her bed while she pinned them down.

"Buffy it's me!"

At the deep soft voice, Buffy's eyes shoot open scanning the room madly before they land on a beautiful pair of blue eyes watching her with worry.  
Buffy stares down at the blonde she was currently sat on "Steve?" She whimpers softly in confusion.  
Steve nods and sits up trying very hard not to focus on the fact that he currently had a beautiful woman sat on his lap.

Steve merely watches her before he notices something "You're shaking." He whispers before tilting her chin to look at him when she tried to look away "Buffy, I went through this when I woke up. It's hard and it's scary but you can survive this."

Buffy takes a shaky breath before allowing tears to drip down her face "There's so much pain, why does everyone I love die?"

Steve tilts his head his heartbreaking for the young woman in his arms "Look no one else is going anywhere."

Buffy scoffs at that and climbs out of his lap before standing in her room pacing back and forth "I mean come on Steve let's look at the facts, my sister hasn't spoken to me since Willow died...she blames me...Xander and I aren't talking...my dad is...well my dad...I just don't know what to do anyone. I don't know how to live in this world...if these are the choices."  
"There is always more than one choice." Steve tells her as he moves to sit on the edge of her bed "Sometimes we just realize too late."

At his words Buffy pauses, turning her head she watches as the grief and hurt crosses his expression, it was then that it hut her, her own panic and fear just reminded him of his own, of the pain he had gone through after waking up discovering that everyone he had ever loved was gone.

Hesitantly she moves towards him and sits next to him "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to bring up..."  
"Hey..." He says softly as he places a hand on her knee squeezing it softly "...we all suffer. At least we both have someone who knows the pain."

Buffy smiles softly at him before a yawn escapes her, Steve chuckles at the tired look on her face "Alright I'll see you in the morning." Standing he moves towards her door intent on heading back to his room.  
Buffy watches him for a second before gulping softly as she climbs back onto the bed "Steve..." He turns back towards her "...will you...will you stay with me."

Steve shifts nervously before nodding, he moves towards the couch only for her to shake her head making him frown in confusion "No...will...here."

Steve's eyes widen before he nods nervously, he didn't know why he was so nervous as he approached the bed but he just pushed it to the back of his brain as he moves to lie beside her.

As she rests her head on his chest he couldn't help but smile down at her before finally, he closes his eyes.

* * *

ONE WEEK LATER

"I think this is the worse song you've made me listen to." Steve tells Buffy as the spar at the SHIELD training facility, they had learned very quickly that two super-powered individuals sparing in their own apartment just caused a lot of damage. And while cost wasn't an issue, refixing the apartment all the time was a pain in the ass.

Buffy chuckles in amusement before staring at him in shock "This is Trish Walker!" When he merely stares at her she rolls her eyes "You know _it's Patsy!"_ Again he just stared at her making her laugh "Hey hey, I want your cray cray."

"Buffy, just stop please." He practically begs making her chuckle.

Buffy shakes her head in amusement, just annoying him was so much fun to her, however, her habit of teasing him was a constant reminder to him of exactly whose daughter she was. He could always see the Stark in her the most when she was teasing him.

Cutting him off from his thoughts she tosses a pair of gloves at him causing him to jump in shock slightly.  
As she begins stretching he arches a brow at the gloves "Since when do we use gloves."

Buffy who was stretching her arms behind her head gives him a pointed look "Look I get your old fashioned and all, but you can't hold back all the time. Thought the gloves would convince you to actually fight me."

Steve sighs wanting to argue against this but when she gives him her famous glare he shakes his head in amusement before slowly pulling on the gloves "This have anything to do with your mission with Romanoff next week?"

Buffy glares at him before stepping forward and jabbing him in the face causing him to stumble slightly making her laugh "Yeah, I love Nat, but 12 hours on a plane with her, on a mission where all she's gonna do is question me about my love life...not a great idea."

"What so I'm being used as a frustration bag?" He asks as they begin to circle around each other.

When he steps in and throws a punch her way she sidesteps out of the way, swinging her elbow to the side she aims for his face but he blocks the blow before quickly ducking as she swings her other fist at his head.

Spinning away from him Buffy smiles and shakes her head in amusement as she bounces on the balls of her feet "Did you just use sarcasm? Finally getting through the Stark dictionary I gave you?"  
Steve shakes his head in amusement only to spot her leap up swinging her leg towards him grabbing her ankle he swings her leg back down before swinging his fist out.

Buffy grabs his arm putting it in a lock before she brings her knee to his chest making him grunt at her strength before he could do anything Buffy quickly takes advantage of his weakness. Wrapping her arms around his neck she spins them both around only for him to grab her legs and flip her over his shoulder, Buffy easily rolls over his back landing perfectly behind him before smiling.

"Looks like the steroids did more than just give you strength."

Steve shakes his head in amusement before moving towards her again, tricking her as she throws a punch at him, he dives past her arm coming up behind her pinning her against his back.

She struggles and swings her elbow up towards his face, but he catches her elbow in his palm, the two struggle against each other's extreme strength.  
Buffy looks up at him now noticing how close their faces were "You gotta admit, this is so much more fun when you actually try."

Steve opens his mouth to comment but Buffy smirks and wraps her ankle around his throwing them both to the ground with her landing on top of him.

As she pins him down he couldn't help but laugh up at her, she was better than him, he would admit that honestly, she was the best fighter he had ever seen in his life.  
"I win." She chuckles before grinning brightly "What's my prize? Chinese? Pizza? Both?"

Steve smiles up at the woman currently lying on top of him and smiles, he loved seeing her like this, so carefree and just happy, it was a rare sight.

As he gazes at her he doesn't notice the fact that he hadn't spoken in a few moments, that is until Buffy adjusts slightly on top of him making him clear his throat nervously and quickly stand placing her next to him.

As he begins moving away from her Buffy frowns in confusion, she wasn't sure what the hell had just happened there but it was probably nothing.  
Leaning against one of the punching bags she watches him cautiously "You okay?"

Steve clears his throat as he begins unwrapping his hands "Fine."  
Buffy arches an unbelieving brow "And you know I really doubt it."

Steve sighs and smiles brightly at her before re-rapping his hands "I'm fine...so again?"

* * *

One Week Later

"So he just freaked out?" Natasha asks as the two women make their way into the hotel gym, they were currently on an undercover mission in Rio and given the fact the meeting they were going to wasn't till tomorrow both of them were too rilled up to sleep.

Buffy nods at the redhead's question as she begins stretching her arms behind her back "Yeah, we were sparing then he just sort of wigged. Be with the freakage."

Natasha shakes her head in amusement she had heard both sides of the story now, first from Steve and then from Buffy, it was very clear what was going on...well to everyone but the two of them...and Stark who was in clear denial over it. It seemed as though any time there was a conversation about his daughter possibly being involved with any man, he blocked it out.

At Natasha's smile, Buffy frowns in confusion, what the hell was she missing here? "What?" She asks placing her hands on her hips as she frowns at her friend waiting for an explanation, clearly, there was something Natasha knew that she was missing her right now.

Natasha shakes her head before shrugging "Nothing, just...you two really are blonde."

Buffy merely frowns in confusion again "Huh?"


	9. Chapter 9

A Few Days Later - Washington

After a very exhausting few days with Romanoff, Buffy stands in her shower the water dripping on her head going down her face.

As she stands there she rests one hand on the wall opposite her while the other hand makes it's wet through her wet hair, slowly her hand makes its way down to her neck where one scar was slowly day after day becoming more and more faded.

Closing her eyes for a moment she thinks about Angel, he was gone now, the majority of the people from her life in Sunnydale were gone now.

Xander was still in Scotland, the two of them still in a rough place after everything that had happened, Dawn was back at college, having decided to cut ties with the supernatural after Willow's death...and that included her own sister.  
Giles had decided to go back to a quiet life in England and now that none of the other Slayer's had their powers the Slayer's organization had shrunk.

So now here she was, her old life more of another life altogether, but that didn't mean her new life was bad.  
She had her friends, her work, her family...it was just different from what she had imagined.

Slowly the blonde pushes all of her thoughts to the back of her mind and switches off the water, grabbing a towel she wraps it around her body before exiting the bathroom.

Walking into the living room she holds onto the towel before smiling over at Steve who was staring at her wide eyes before clearing his throat and quickly turning around nervously "So—sorry...I didn't—I didn't—"  
Buffy merely smiles at his rambling "Steve it's fine." She waves him off not noticing him catching another glance of her as she heads into her room.

Closing the door behind her she runs her hand through her still wet hair before moving to grab her hairdryer only to frown as she spots a familiar name pop up on her phone, grabbing her cell she sits on the bed as she answers "Hey Skye."

 _"_ _Anne, hi...um...something happened."_

At her words, Buffy frowns before she clenches her jaw "Where are you?"

 _"_ _...London."_

* * *

SHIELD. 616

Buffy glances over at Hill who had offered her the ride to catch up with _The Bus_ , after what Skye had said about the Asgardian artifact they had found somehow affecting Ward, the blonde hadn't wasted any time.

Now in her Avengers suit and black wig the blonde nods at Hill who quickly grabs the radio "SHIELD 616, this is Agent Hill, request room for board. Over."  
 _"_ _Opening latch now for you. Over."_

At Melinda's words, Hill chuckles into the radio "It's not a ship boarding May."  
There is a pause and Buffy swear she can almost hear the small assassin laugh before she finally speaks again _"Understood. West wing hatch is open and ready."_

Hill switches off the radio before glancing over at the Slayer and opening their own hatch allowing Buffy to see the top of the Bus just below them about a 10-foot drop "It's all you, kid."

Buffy smirks as she watches a small portion of the ceiling on the bus pull back leaving her the perfect amount of space to just drop in, literally "Thanks for the lift!" She yells before diving out of the plane and into Coulson's.

* * *

"Just fix it!" Ward hisses angrily as he glares at the scientist duo in front of him while Skye watches off from the side as Ward's anger and heart rate continues to shoot up second by second, he honestly looked like he was losing it.

"I wish I could." Jemma informs him stepping towards his despite him continuing to try and intimidate her "We can relieve some of the symptoms. I'm going to give you 10 CCs of benzodyospine."

Skye couldn't help but nod in agreement "Chill pill. Good idea." Right now Ward really seemed like he could use one.

Ward, however, doesn't seem to have the same sense of clarity as the others, in fact, it seemed to anger him further "A sedative? Not gonna happen."  
Fitz sighs "Be responsible. Look how you're behaving."

Again Ward's anger seems to spike, only this time it was focused solely on Fitz "And if I'm sedated, and we cross paths with those juice freaks, the ones who flip cars and smash people up, are you gonna take them on?"

"Actually I'm pretty sure that's why I here." Another voice says causing the four to spin around only to spot the raven-haired Avenger stood behind them all with a grin on her face, Buffy glances over at Skye and smiles "You were right. Thanks for the call."  
Ward's anger quickly focuses on the young hacker "You called her!"

"Yep!" Buffy yells as she comes up in front of Ward blocking his path, and despite the fact he was towering over her she challenged him glaring up at him easily.

Ward merely glares down at the Avenger "I don't care who you are, you are not a part of this team so—"

As he speaks Buffy holds up her hand "Ward, do me a favour...have nice dreams." Before he even had a chance to understand her words Buffy swings her fist across his face not enough to send him flying across the room but enough to knock him out cold leaving him unconscious on the floor.

Everyone remains stunned in silence until Buffy turns to them all and places her hands on her hips "So...what did I miss?"

* * *

"So..." Buffy sings as she strolls into the pilots bay where May was sat with a smile clearly having been waiting for the blonde to finally show herself to her "...I've been filled in on all the drama. Gotta say...your team still kinda sucks at the whole...teamwork thing ya know."

May shakes her head in amusement and turns towards her favorite blonde who was currently sporting brunette locks "Wouldn't be too bad if you stuck around for a while?"

Buffy smiles and shakes her head "And wear this wig 24/7? Ew! This thing itches, I won't live in it...and I'm not dying my hair." She says quickly as she adjusts her wig before glaring at May before the raven-haired beauty could even suggest hair dye.

May sighs before turning back to the controls looking out at the clouds ahead of them, after a beat she clenches her jaw she takes a deep breath "Did you see Ward?"  
"You mean the anger crazed lunatic?" Buffy asks before shrugging and checking her watch "He should be waking up soon...probably with a very big headache."

May couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that "You knocked him out."  
Buffy merely frowns "I thought that was the whole reason Skye called me?"

"Skye called you?" May asks stunned, she would have thought it had been Coulson, but she had to admit...that was a smart move on the hacker's end.

Buffy nods before glancing out at the clouds in front of her, she would admit this was her very favorite part of flying, being back in the sky almost gave her back that feeling she had had in the afterlife, that sense of freedom, of being able to be free and fly.

After her brief moment of peace, Buffy glances over at May and shakes her head "So you and Ward..."  
May's eyes shoot to the blonde, she had been careful no one was supposed to know "How..."  
"I didn't. You just confirmed it."

May scoffs before turning back to the controls, this was a strange conversation to have with a girl that she considered a daughter but at the same time, it seemed as though Buffy was her only friend sometimes, the only person she could open up to "Nothing has happened yet. Even if it did, it would only be sex. Plus you are one to talk."

Buffy's eyes widen at that "Okay, first of all...that never works...and second...what the hell does that mean?"

May rolls her eyes before grabbing the paper envelope to her left and tossing it at the blonde. When she gestures at it the blonde frowns before opening it and pouring out the contents only for her eyes to widen.

"The press seems to have other thoughts." May smirks while Buffy merely stares at the dozens of photos of her and Steve together, some were just them hanging out or when they were out for their runs, a few were of them out at the movies or out to diner. Buffy groans and leans her head back against the cold leather of her seat, the worse one of them all was of the two of them standing outside of the movies she was laughing and he had an arm around her shoulder.

This wasn't good.

"Don't worry. Fury doesn't want Stark showing up kicking off because of you and Rogers. He had everything buried. Your father won't find out."

Buffy sighs in relief before something occurred to her "Me and Steve...we...we're not together. We're just friends."  
May merely smiles and goes silent before turning her head away from the blonde, at her silence Buffy groans, she hated it when May did that, it was always frustrating.

The two women sit there in silence together before they hear it, the grunting and sound of fists banging coming from downstairs.

Buffy sighs and glances up at May "Looks like your boy toy is up."  
May groans and glares at the blonde before placing in the plane in autopilot before she turns to Buffy "Don't touch anything."

Buffy raises her hands playfully only making the Agent shake her head in amusement before heading out to talk to Ward.

* * *

"So what's the sitch?" Buffy asks as she strolls into Coulson's office making Coulson shoot up in his seat in shock when the hell did she get on his plane? How the hell did she get on his plane?

Coulson remains speechless as the blonde grabs a bottle of water and cringes at the sight of the SHIELD symbol on the side of it before she flops onto his couch "So...Ward's messed up...there is some strange Asgardian artifact that makes people crazy...anything else I'm missing?"

Coulson merely chuckles at the sight of the Avenger "How did you get on my plane?"

When Buffy arches a brow at him with the, ' _really'_ look, he just sighs, there was no point questioning it, this girl always found a way into troubling situations.  
"May?" He asks only for her to shake his head when he frowns she chuckles "Skye."

At her clarification Coulson frowns, that was a shock "I didn't realize you two spoke?"  
Buffy shrugs "We speak the same language...sarcasm...it's a real bonding experience."

Coulson shakes his head in amusement, he swore one day Fury was going to kill him for introducing Buffy and Skye.

The blonde stands before moving to sit beside the resurrected Agent who was currently watching a stream from the camera in the interrogation room, she couldn't help but pout though, it had looked so much better in her opinion after she had punched a hole through it.

"So whose the doof?" She asks gesturing to the man currently sat by himself in the interrogation room.

"Elliot Randolph. He is a consultant on the Asgardian object we are looking for."

Buffy nods before turning to look at the screen "You do realize he's Asgardian right?"  
"Oh totally." Phill agrees without argument as the two continue to watch the live stream.

Reaching into her pocket Buffy pulls out a packet of Twizzlers handing some to Coulson with the two biting into the sweets just as Ward walks into the room.

"A moment, sir? Agent Summers?"

Buffy and Phill glance at each other before she shrugs and nods Phil then turns Ward "Come on in."

Buffy glances over at the attractive Agent and looks him up and down, she could understand May's appeal, shaking her head she looks up at him with a small smirk "How's the head?"  
Ward clenches his jaw before nodding "It's fine. I'm sorry that it had to come to that. I shouldn't have put you in the position where you felt the need to do that."

Buffy arches a brow before moving to cross her legs while she and Phil wait for the Agent to continue, after a moment of silence Ward takes that as his cue "I'm concerned that my exposure to that weapon has compromised my ability to do my job."

Phill pauses and turns to Buffy "Why don't you go speak with our guest, while I see what Agent Ward has to say."  
Buffy pouts slightly, she had wanted to see Ward beg, but never mind, she could always pound on the Asgardian to cheer herself up if needed.

* * *

Buffy strolls into the interrogation room with a small smile on her face as she locks the door behind her before facing Elliot "Hi."

Elliot looks up at the blonde and frowns she looked so familiar, there was something about her though that he just couldn't place, she seems to notice his confusion and she merely leans against the wall and remains to grin.

As he continues to stare at her trying to place her face she makes her way around the table facing him "So...what did the big stick thing do to Ward? Other than getting too far up his ass?"  
"I already told Agent Coulson everything I know."  
Buffy merely shrugs "Well I'm not Coulson...so tell me."  
"I swear I don't know."

Buffy shrugs before she rips the table from its hinges and approaches him "I really doubt that." She says sweetly before she pulls out the scythe allowing him to see it, as his eyes fall on the red blade he seemingly gulps making her grin "You Asgardians really need to control that look of terror and amazement..." She mocks slightly finding it amusing "... every time you see this thing."

Elliot's eyes widen at her wording, he couldn't understand how she could have figured it out but slowly all the dots began to connect "I don't know what you're—"  
"Oh cut the human facade...really it's just getting sad now."  
Elliot seems to just find her amusing now "You're smarter than the last Slayer I met...prettier too."

Buffy smirks "Gotta feel bad for this Slayer...seriously that's like five guys insulting her."

Elliot chuckles "You impress me, Slayer. Most in your line would have just tortured me."  
Buffy shrugs "I'd rather not ruin my nails...so you ready to chit chat now?"


	10. Chapter 10

"So...you're the Asgardian warrior who stayed?" Coulson asks as both he and Ward now stood in the room where Elliot and Buffy were still sat, honestly they had been having a lovely conversation before the two Agents had finally decided to show themselves.

Elliot looks in between the three of them being sighing, he had built himself a life here, one he didn't want to lose "Please, don't tell anyone." His eyes then fall on Buffy "And that means you missy not chatting it up with goldilocks, can't be dealing with the royal family being pissed at me."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Not the gossip type, plus I'm more likely to tell the king of capes just for the chuckle of watching him laugh about how important you think you are."  
Elliot glares at the blonde "And here I was starting to like you."

Buffy merely rolls her eyes before raising the scythe making him visibly pale at the sight of it before he reluctantly turns back to Coulson ready to answer more questions. Or any questions...honestly he didn't want the blonde cutting him up with that thing.

* * *

"I had no idea." Fitz says with a grin as him Simmons and Skye watch the live stream from the camera in the interrogation room where they could see Ward, Coulson, and Anne interrogating the Asgardian. To say they were all shocked that he was Asgardian was an understatement.

Turning to Simmons he grins "Did you?"  
When she shakes her head the two turn back to the screen while Skye was actually noticing something else.

"Hidden in plain sight an actual Asgardian."

At Fitz's words, something occurs to her, slowly her eyes land on Anne and she could only think of one thing ' _hidden in plain sight.'_

When she notices Fitz glance at her as though waiting for her to comment she quickly swallows and clears her throat "How long do you suppose he's been on our planet?"  
"A thousand years, maybe more." Simmons contributes "If we could just cut him open a little bit, get some tissue samples, maybe some bodily fluids, we could find out."

Skye winces at that, sometimes Simmons could be really dark "Or we could just ask him, weirdo. This is way, way better than the history channel."

Slowly she notices Fitz and Simmons looking at her again, groaning she sighs "What?"

Simmons sighs as Fitz nudges her "Fitz and I were just wondering...how exactly did you manage to get an Avenger here to help us. She's Level 9, no one other than Fury should be able to contact her directly."

Skye merely shrugs as she stares at Anne for a moment, there was something so familiar about her, the more time they spoke the more she felt like she knew her from somewhere, the fact that she always wore those glasses didn't really help "I have her phone number." She says before waving them both off "I went old fashioned and called her on the dial phone in Coulson's office..." pausing the brunette's eyes fall on May who was walking into the room with a control pad in her hands "What are you doing?"

May doesn't even glance up as she speaks "Sealing the interrogation room."

* * *

Buffy turns to Coulson just as he gives her a pointed look before gesturing to her gauntlets making it clear that when what they had planned happens she wasn't to destroy his plane...again, nor create a makeshift door in the interrogation room.

Buffy stands and clicks her neck before removing her jacket, finally she moves the table that she had ripped from the floor out of the room and as she walks back in she notices Coulson grin over at Elliot "Good luck."

While Elliot frowns Coulson and Ward merely exit the room leaving the two supernatural beings alone.

At the sound of the locks on the interrogation door-going Buffy couldn't help but groan, she really did hate this room.

Elliot frowns before turning to the blonde looking up at her defiantly "I've been in tighter spots."  
Buffy chuckles "As have I." Stabbing the stake end of the scythe into the floor right by his feet she smiles as he flinches "What made you talk?" She asks as she crouches down in front of him and tilts her head in interest "Something would have made you finally give up the truth after years of hiding or..." Pausing she looks at him seriously before she chuckles as she comes to that realization "A girl."

Elliot sighs "I met a French girl in 1546. She loved stories, so I told her a great one, all about the peaceful Asgardian warrior who stayed. How was I to know her brother, the priest, would write it all down and turn it into, I don't know, a thing."

Buffy arches a brow in disbelieve "You risked exposure just to get laid?" She exclaims in disgust "You're disgusting."

Buffy rolls her eyes, she was just getting annoyed now "Okay enough with the personal level stuff. I don't even have the energy for this. The stave. Talk." Pulling the scythe out of the ground she twists it in her palm turning the axe, placing it against his chin.

Elliot gulps before looking down at her "I hated that thing. Other guys loved all the power that comes with the rage. No. I didn't like it at all." Pausing he turns and looks at the camera "He doesn't like it either. Agent Ward."  
Buffy frowns before turning Elliot's focus back to her "What does it do?"

"It touches that darkest part in you." Pausing he smirks slightly and looks down at her before looking at the scythe "Doesn't matter if you're human, asgardian...or something formed in darkness just like yourself...the effect is the same. Unpleasant"

Buffy clenches her jaw at his words before she pushes the axe harder against his skin actually breaking the skin.

* * *

"What is that thing?" Skye asks FitzSimmons as the three of them watch Anne bring an axe to Elliot's neck, actually breaking the skin.

Simmons merely stares in astonishment at the Avenger's scythe "I've never seen anything like it before...it must be very powerful to be able to injure an Asgardian."

"You should have seen it when she drove it into Loki's gut." Coulson says loudly as he walks into the room, the three turn to him, all of their eyes going wide in shock.  
"Wait she took on Loki?" Fitz asks in astonishment.

Coulson smiles "I've known that girl since she was 17 years old, one of the most powerful gifteds we've ever come across and watching her take on Loki, even for a second before my heart stopped...I wouldn't change it for the world."

Skye smiles at Coulson's words before turning back to watch the screen in front of them, she couldn't help but wonder who Agent Anne Summers, was under the mask. She was around the same age as her, and Skye had seen enough wigs in her lifetime to notice one as good as Anne's. Despite all that though, it was her mannerisms and her sarcasm that made Skye's skin crawl...there was something so familiar about it.

 _"_ _It was forced from a rare metal and reacts to whoever is holding it. Or interacts. I went through such great lengths to make sure that the staff wasn't found. Unfortunately, since the myth was written down..."_

* * *

"...People have been searching for it for centuries."

At Elliot's words Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes "And whose fault is that."  
Elliot glares at the Slayer "Don't get judgy miss Slayer."  
Buffy groans in annoyance before grabbing a chair and moving to sit down opposite him so she could look him in the eye "Where's the last part of the staff?"

"No." Elliot says instantly "I am a pacifist now."  
"Then time to come out of retirement."

At her deadpanned response he leans forward, and smirks at her "I'm not risking what I have built for someone who hides behind a mask." Leaning closer to her he smirks and whispers in her ear "Isn't that right Buffy Stark?"

At that Buffy stands abruptly and grabs him by the neck slamming him up against the wall so he was hovering about the ground "Let me guess monsters talk?"

Elliot merely chuckles only to groan in annoyance as she slams his head against the wall "Look I hear one name a lot, for the past 9 years all I have heard is one name, you are more feared in this world then you know Miss Summers."

Buffy glares at him once more before she shoves him to the ground and crouches down in front of him "You're gonna help or I'm gonna start chopping, starting with a leg."  
Elliot clenches his jaw, he had to admit there was something frightening about the woman, she was stronger than any Slayer he had ever seen, honestly, she was too strong. "Look I wouldn't worry too much about these angry youths. They always calm down. And eventually, they die of old age. And that is one of the pleasant aspects of life here. Everything changes."

Buffy couldn't help but smirk at that "Yeah I think that's what goldilocks likes as well. Why don't we give him a call and he and I can have a little chat? Maybe I'll bring you up."  
Elliot's jaw clenches as he looks up at the blonde, he was tempted to call her bluff but something told him she wasn't bluffing.

Sighing he looks down at his hands for a moment before finally, he speaks up "My first love on this planet was Ireland." Pausing he looks down at the ring on her finger "I see you share your own affection for the country."  
Buffy clenches her jaw at that and her fists clench, after Angel's death she had begun wearing her ring once again but this time the heart was no longer pointed towards her, she doubted that her heart would ever belong to someone again as it had with him.

When she doesn't respond to him Elliot continues "There was a monastery, and the monks gave me a nice warm place to sleep, some soup, and some old wine."

Buffy's eyes widen and she glances over at the camera knowing Coulson was probably realizing the same thing as her right now "Near God."


	11. Chapter 11

Buffy walks down into the cargo bay now in green leather pants and a black vest as well as her favorite leather jacket, playing with her curly black hair she watches as Ward slams shut the case in his hands before storming over to the cars.

"Who pissed off the princess?" Buffy asks as she re-adjusts her sunglasses on her face, Coulson had pointed out to her, that if she walked around in her Avengers get up it would just draw unwanted attention.

While May smirks slightly at the blonde's words Coulson merely shakes his head only for Skye to lean over to him "Are you sure Ward's ok to go out into the field? He's not exactly acting like himself."  
Buffy chuckles "You mean he's not always a narcotic stick up his ass?"

Skye bites her lip trying not to laugh as does Coulson before he turns to glance in the direction Ward had stormed off in "But he knows it. He'll be fine. Plus if he's not..." he turns to glance at Buffy "That's what she's here for."

Skye's eyes widen shocked that they were going to let Ward in the field, with Buffy here they didn't need to risk it, turning to May hoping she would take her side the older Agent shakes her head "I'm with Coulson."

May quickly walks off leaving Buffy and Skye standing there, slowly Skye glances at the blonde "What do you think?"  
Buffy sighs and crosses her arms glancing in the direction that Ward had stormed off in, "I think that if it's too much for him...I'm gonna knock him over his big head with a desk."

* * *

Buffy pushes open the door to the church letting the two doors slam open allowing the group to make their way inside.  
As she steps into the old church she couldn't help but whistle, it looked exactly like the church she had been in with Spike when he told her about having gotten his soul back.

"Well, it's been a while." Elliot says with a sigh as he glances around the room before his eyes fall on something in the corner "I wonder." He whispers to himself before he walks towards the podium, Buffy Coulson and Ward as well as the others following after him.  
"There it is." Elliot says with a smile as he turns to the book "Still here. On the nose isn't quite right, but—"

Buffy frowns at the image he was staring at "A halo really? How high does your ego get?"  
Elliot glares at the blonde "They venerated me a bit as a saint."  
"They're idiots." Ward and Buffy say at the same time before they glance at each other, and while Ward looks her up and down for a moment Buffy merely rolls her eyes at him.

Turning to Elliot she plays with the Slayer suit bracelets on her wrists ready to wake up her suit when needed "We get it you're a saint...do we have to chat about it all day? Where's the staff?"  
Elliot sighs and moves past the group gesturing for them to follow "It's upstairs."

As the others follow Buffy hangs back with Skye and Coulson walking after the others slowly "Honestly I don't even notice a difference." Buffy jokes gesturing to Ward, but to be honest, she didn't, when she had first met Ward he had treated her like the enemy, to her even with his new attitude there wasn't much difference.  
Skye seems to nod in agreement "Can't tell."  
Buffy smiles before they all quickly follow Elliot upstairs however as they reach the top of the steps the Slayer freezes.

The hair on the back of her neck stands up, there was something wrong about this place, she could feel it, something bad was coming "Coulson." Buffy whispers turning to him at the look on her face he sighs "We need to move quickly."

"Clearly not fast enough." One of the Pagonist hisses as he appears from behind the wall with the staff and stabs Elliot in the chest with it.

"If you are to defeat a god, you must become one." The pagonist, also know as Jakob hisses and quickly Buffy grabs the scythe from her side and pushes Skye and Coulson behind her.

"I don't know if you heard..." Buffy says drawing his attention before Ward could, she couldn't risk him getting ahold of that thing again, it was already damaging him "...me and Gods...just don't mess."

Running forward she grabs Jakob and tosses him over the balcony down onto the bottom level of the church.

Glaring down at him she switches on her bracelets and everyone watches in amazement as slowly her suit begins to take form around her, removing her leather jacket Buffy tosses it on the ground. Turning to May she nods "Get them out of here, and keep Ward away from that thing!" She hisses gesturing to staff still in Elliot's chest before leaping off the balcony and doing a true superhero landing.

Buffy jumps up and twirls the scythe at Jakob but he manages to grab the handle of the blade making her eyes widen "Oh no." She mumbles only for him to punch her across the face before launching her body up to the ceiling, forcing her to let go of her weapon.

As she flops back to the ground she rolls onto her side painfully before her eyes quickly widen as she spots the staff about to make contact with her, she raises her hand quickly grabbing a hold of the staff only to quickly regret her decision.

 _Buffy flies through the city in one of her father's suit, she had stolen it the moment Willow took off, spotting her father crashing towards the ground she catches him and lowers him to the ground._

 _As she moves to go after Willow her father grabs her ankle, Buffy fights him off prepared to go after her best friend. Suddenly the suit separates from her, Buffy growls and looks down to see her father having ordered Jarvis to power off the suit._

 _As the suit falls from her Buffy turns to him "No! That's Willow Dad! She—she can't..." Her breathing becomes panicked and she begins shaking violently, this couldn't be happening, Willow couldn't do this. She screams out and tries to run to get to the portal.  
_ _Tony grabs her from behind as she screams at the portal for her best friend, at that moment Steve and Thor appear, they both freeze as they spot Buffy screaming at the portal tears dripping down her face._

 _As she struggles sweat drips down her face as the flaming man crouches down in front of her, hovering so close that the heat from the flames was causing her to boil._

 _As he crouches down in front of her watching her intently, almost as if he was deciding whether or not to kill her, she feels a part of herself give in. A part of her that wants to go back to that peace that she had experienced so long ago.  
Before she could stop the words she looks up at him "Do it." She breaths her words filled with emotion "I deserve it."_

 _As the words leave her lips she couldn't help but believe them, so much had happened, she may have saved many but there were still so many dead because of her decisions. The young Slayers that died in the battle with The First, Willow and so many others. At this moment, faced with death, she couldn't help but be tempted._

 _"Do it." She says one last time however surprisingly Blaze stands moving away from her.  
Buffy lies there stunned and confused for a moment before finally reality settles back in with a final heave she forces the concrete off of her and to the ground beside her.  
She coughs again wincing slightly as she moves to sit up, clutching her ribs she looks around for Blaze only to sigh as she spots the motorcycle he was on speeding away._

 _Grabbing onto her leg she takes several deep breaths arguing with herself about whether or not to do this, biting her lower lip she closes her eyes before snapping the bone back into her leg causing her to cry out in agony as a searing pain runs through her entire body._

 _Water fills her eyes but she stays determined, ripping the bottom of her vest leaving her stomach exposed she wraps the material around her leg before groaning once again as the pain hits her, threatening to consume her._

 _"...Tony Stark's beach house mansion was attacked..."_

 _Buffy freezes as she hears the words come from the rusty television in the corner of the room, glancing over she watches in horror as her home is blown up by missiles._

 _She panics, this couldn't have happened, it was some trick, it had to be...but in her heart she knew it was true, her home was destroyed._

 _"Tony Stark is dead."_

 _As the words leave the Anchor's lips Buffy's entire body goes rigid, no, no, no, he wasn't dead, he couldn't be.  
Buffy shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks, she wouldn't believe it, her dad could not be gone._

 _Slowly as she watches the replay of what had happened at the scene her body begins shaking in horror, her face going deadly pale as she realizes that it was in fact true.  
"NOoooooooo!"_

 _"I'm just taking order's sweetheart." He coughs out causing her to pause, she frowns in confusion only for a long tazer stick to appear in Killian's hands. He sticks it through the cell and hits her with it sending waves of electricity through her body._

 _"Ahhh!" Buffy cries as she drops to the ground, her body shuddering violently on the floor due to the pain._

 _"Sneaky little moron..." The first guard says as he rubs his now bleeding forehead "...but down worry soon you'll be put in a coffin right next to mommy and daddy."_

 _That had done it. That had caused her to snap, it seemed like all the pain she was in due to her injuries all faded to the background as all she could see was red. She wanted to tear this man limb from limb._

 _She growls and screams loudly before launching at the bars again only this time as her hands make contact with the metal an electric shock goes through her causing her body to convulse before she is consumed in darkness._

 _At his words Buffy's entire body goes tense "Wh—wh—what?" She stutters out finding herself unable to speak._

 _"Angel." Marcus says as he turns to stand in front of her "He killed me, I just thought it would be right to return the favor. If it helps I was rather quick when I removed his head and tossed him into the sunlight."_

 _"No." She breaths out and shakes her head as water fills her eyes, she refused to believe it, she had already lost too much, Angel couldn't be dead he couldn't be._

 _"It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Stark. Wolfram and Hart thank you for your contribution to the Mandarin's cause." At his words, he smiles once more before turning the controls again causing the blonde to scream bloody murder as high voltages of electricity ran through her body once again._

Buffy's eyes widen and she lets out a loud scream as memories of the horrors of her life force their way into her head, suddenly a wave of anger and rage she had never felt before makes it way through her veins.

Keeping ahold of the staff she flips herself up and spins around bringing her leg up and forcing it into Jakob's chest sending him flying backward and crashing into the wall.

Jakob growls and moves in on her again but she merely swings the staff at him sending him flying out of a nearby window.

"Anne!"

Buffy hears someone else her name but she ignores it as she continues to breathe heavily, clenching her jaw she forces the sounds of her own screaming from her torture out of her head before swinging around only to spot Ward now holding the other staff moving towards her, while Skye and May yelled at the two of them.

Buffy glances at Ward just as more of Jakob's men run into the church filling it, Buffy groans and clenches her jaw before turning to May "Go!" She hisses, May hesitates before she grabs a reluctant Skye pulling the brunette hacker back while Buffy and Ward move to stand back to back ready to destroy everyone else.

Buffy tightens her grasp on the staff again and forces her eyes shut for a moment

 _When Buffy opens the door at home she places her jacket on the side table "Mom. Hey, you ready?"_ _  
_ _Buffy walks up to the staircase and calls for her mother again but there was no answer, she then turns to see her mother lying down on the couch. Buffy smiles and walks towards her "Hey, mom what are you doing, I thought you wanted to be at the gallery by 2."_ _  
_ _When Joyce doesn't respond Buffy walks closer with a frown on her face, something was wrong "Mom." Still no answer, Joyce didn't even blink, there was no rise and fall of her chest...she was just frozen "Mom. Mommy."_

Buffy's eyes slam open once again and she glances at Ward he moves to stand beside her, she could see it was taking so much on him, pausing she grabs his wrist "Let me." She whispers softly causing him to pause he looks down at her with wide eyes before slowly he releases the other staff and Buffy catches it in her palm causing her to cry loudly as more rage fills her.

Slowly her eyes darken and she looks back at the Agent "Go!" She hisses before she turns to the thirty-odd men moving in on her.

"So...whose first?"

Buffy screams loudly feeling the rage run through her bones as the men run at her, leaping up she swings both of her arms through the air hitting several men with the staffs before she rolls onto her knees and swings them again taking out two more.

Twirling around her hair spins with her before falling around her face as she drives one of the staffs into one of the guy's chest before slamming the other into another man's jaw, effectively shattering it, the echo of his jaw shattering filling the room.

 _"Mom. Mom. Mommy."_

 _"Tony Stark is dead."_

 _"No! That's Willow Dad! She—she can't..."_

 _"_ _Dawnie I have too..."_

 _"_ _Is this hell?"_

Buffy ignores her voice in her head as memories continue to fill her head, running at a nearby wall she places her foot on it before using the momentum to push herself through the air backwards.

As her feet land on the ground behind one of the men she grabs the back of his head and tosses him at several more before she leaps up and wraps her legs around the next man snapping his neck with her legs before finally she collapses to her knees, thirty men dead or unconscious surrounding her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat the blonde takes a shaky breathe as she hears the door open behind her, clenching her jaw the blonde stands back up and as a man runs at her she easily leaps up and kicks him in the face sending him flying face-first into the wall before she quickly has to raise the staffs to block a woman, Jakob's girlfriend, from hitting her with the final piece of the weapon.

Buffy's eyes widen at the sight of it before she brings her leg up and kicks the woman in the gut, as the woman stumbles Buffy leaps into a side aerial kicking the woman in the face with both feet before she herself lands on one of the benches.

The woman growls in anger and pain and swings the staff at Buffy's legs but the blonde flips herself backwards through the air kicking the woman a final time in the face.

As Buffy lands on her feet she notices the final piece of the staff laying on the ground, slowly the metal seems to call itself home as it joins with one of the pieces in her hands.

Frowning she pauses before glancing at the final piece in her hand.  
She moves to bring the final piece together when a hand grabs her wrist softly, Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Melinda standing in front of her with a worried look on her face.

"You've done enough." May whispers before slowly she takes the two pieces in Buffy's hand in her own grasp, hissing as the rage fills her.

As she releases the staff Buffy feels herself drain and fall backward only to have Skye quickly grab the Slayer, wrapping her arm around Buffy and throwing one of the Slayer's arms over her shoulder, she tries to pull Buffy away but the blonde's eyes were stuck on May.

Melinda brings the third and final piece to the other two...and again the weapon was one. The Agent again winces as she feels more anger rush through her before she glares at the woman opposite her who was wincing in pain from the injuries Buffy had given her.

"I'm not afraid of you." The other woman hisses, May merely tilts her head before swinging the staff at her knocking her out and to the ground.

Taking a deep breath the agent slowly lowes the weapon to the ground before she quickly forces all the anger away and runs to Buffy pushing the dark hair out of the Slayer's face as she watches her in worry.

"Are you okay?"

Buffy winces in pain but nods softly before hugging May tightly leaving Skye and Ward speechless, this was the most emotion they had ever seen from the assassin. And it was clear the Avenger was one of her only weak spots.


	12. Chapter 12

Buffy sits beside May and Ward as the three watch Coulson dealing with the Asgardian, slowly Ward glances over at the two women "When you held it, did you see anything?"

May nods simply and Ward turns to Buffy "How did you hold all three, and for so long?"  
Buffy clenches her jaw before standing "Because I see it every time I close my eyes. All of it."

With that the blonde leaves May and Ward to their devices while she heads over to Coulson who was stood talking to Elliot.

When Coulson spots the blonde walking towards them he clears his throat before smiling and turning back to Elliot "Can we give you a lift back to the university?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, we can fly over and just push you out when you're close. A couple hundred-foot drop should be fine right."

Elliot shakes his head in amusement "I would never want to be in one place too long with you."  
Buffy shrugs and smirks "Who would introduce you to Thor?"

"Well, I would." Coulson argues only making Buffy chuckle and slap his chest playfully.

* * *

Buffy sits on the end of the bar her wig was off now and her natural cherry blonde hair was hanging over her shoulder.

Coulson had told the team that she had headed back to base with the staff to make sure it was put back safe but to be honest she just wanted a bit of chill time, and staying in a nice hotel for a night sounded perfect.

Spinning the martini in her glass for a moment she brings the glass to her lips before her eyes fall on a familiar face sat on the other end of the bar. She watches as Ward and Skye converse, it almost seemed as though the brunette was reaching out to him, without success.

Buffy shakes her head as she watches Skye walk off after Ward had left her alone, nothing but trouble laid that way.  
Turning back to her drink she downs it then smiles as the bartender quickly places a new one in front of her.

Picking up the olive she bites into it just as someone takes a seat beside her, the blonde doesn't turn her head and merely continues to twirl the vodka in her glass.

"Wouldn't have thought of Buffy Stark as a martini girl." Buffy frowns in confusion and turns her head only to spot Skye sat next to her with her own glass sat in front of her.  
Buffy smiles "Don't believe everything you read."  
Skye chuckles softly before shrugging "Must be genetics right? I mean it's what your dad drinks right, Anne?"

At her final words Buffy's eyes widen in confusion and astonishment before she lets out a small laugh, Skye was smarter then she should be "How'd you figure it out?"  
Skye shrugs "I know something about aliases, I've had my own share, Cory Stutter, Gabrielle Wewer, both my names were names of the girls at the orphanage. Yours, your middle name and your mothers maiden name."

Buffy lets out a small laugh before clicking their glasses together, as she takes a sip Skye then clears her throat almost awkwardly "I saw you before. With your dad...when I was..."

At the bright red look on Skye's face Buffy's eyes widen "You were one of the cos-play girls!" She laughs loudly finding herself struggling to breathe.

Skye glares at the blonde but can't help but laugh as well "You and your dad have the same mannerisms, the sarcasm, the dark humor...the more you teased the Asgardian the more obvious it was. Plus Coulson said he's know you since you were 17...you were 17 when you were exposed to the press."

Buffy lets out a small whistle "You're good." Pausing she looks down in the direction Ward had gone off in "That one...be careful." When Skye frowns Buffy sighs "Don't let your guard down around him."

Skye frowns for a moment, she was confused as to why she shouldn't trust Ward but...if an Avenger of all people was telling her to be careful, then she should probably heed her warning. Nodding the two women continue to drink until Skye turns to the blonde "What did you see?" When Buffy's head spins around to her Skye quickly panics wondering if she had overstepped her bounds "I'm sorry I—"

"I saw a lot." Buffy says softly, she didn't know why but she seemed to find herself a sort of kindred spirit with Skye "I saw everyone who I loved who has died. My mom. My best friend. The man I loved. I saw the face of the man that spent hours torturing me to get back at my father...and I saw the faces of everyone I killed to escape." Clenching her jaw Buffy looks over at Skye who was looking at her with such a sympathetic look and almost understanding look "Don't let yourself dive into the darkness Skye. Being in this world, especially when you have powers, it makes diving into the darkness that much easier...and more appealing."

* * *

 **WASHINGTON, DC**

Anger. Rage. Both filled the blonde since the second she had held that Asgardian weapon two weeks ago, and much to her dismay Thor had confirmed what Elliot had said. That anger never truly fades.

So Buffy did the best thing she could, she channeled it into violence, and now she was lucky enough to have several people around who could actually handle her strength...well to a certain degree.  
So here she was, training with one Charles Gunn or more commonly known as Mike Peterson now, which was still so weird, just calling him Mike felt wrong every time the word left her lips to the point where he had turned around and just told her to call him Gunn.

Buffy ducks as Mike swings his fist at her, coming up behind him she dodges out of the way, she was too fast for him, moving gracefully side to side with ease as he swung his fists wildly, coming up behind him again she leaps up connecting her heeled boot into his back sending him rolling to the ground.

Mike chuckles as he looks up at the blonde "All right I get it."

Buffy smirks at his defeat, they had been sparing for the past hour and he had continued to think he could beat her "You so owe me lunch." She jokes as she offers him a hand before helping him to his feet.

Mike smiles at the blonde before reaching for his water "I'm still gonna beat yours and Rogers' time on that..." he says pointing towards the large piece of metal in the middle of the training field outside.

Buffy couldn't help but shake her head in amusement, she and Rogers had been moving that thing back and forth along the field for training for months, there was no way Mike was going to beat their record.

Mike watches the blonde for a moment before frowning in worry, over the past few months he had grown to think of her as a younger sister and honestly right now she was his only friend in SHIELD.  
"So honestly...how are you feeling?" Mike asks as he moves to sit down opposite her while she begins stretching her arms.

At his question the blonde freezes for a moment, flashes of all of her pain and suffering from the past 9 years filling her mind.

Blinking tightly she forces a smile on her face before moving towards the punching bag "Better than yesterday."

* * *

"So how was the big facetime call with Coulson?" Buffy asks as she jumps onto the couch placing her feet on Steve's lap waiting for his answer, she was curious, to say the least, it was a big thing Steve and Coulson speaking for the first time since Coulson's sort of death...she was just pissed she hadn't been included in this little get-together.

Steve lowers the book that he had been reading placing it on the side table before he places his hands on the blonde's ankles and slowly begins removing her heels.  
"Fine."

At his emotionless response, Buffy arches a brow "Steve? Come on spill?"  
The captain smiles and rests his hands on her ankles before glancing over at her "You're not gonna leave me alone till I tell you are you?"  
Buffy merely grins "Not one detail left out."

Steve chuckles and leans his head against the leather of their couch before turning his head to look into her bright green eyes "As well as any conversation with a dead man can go."  
Buffy couldn't help but agree there "A little awkward then?"  
"More than a little."  
"Lots of yelling?"

Steve opens his mouth to argue, but he couldn't, he hadn't planned on yelling at Coulson, it had just happened "More like loud speaking."  
Buffy laughs softly at his words "Yeah right." She mumbles she leans her head on the fluffy pillow on the end of the couch.

The two sit in comfortable silence and as they do it's then that Steve releases something, this could be it. He had been waiting forever to speak to her about how he was feeling at the moment but every time they had had a moment alone together something had stopped him before he had a chance.  
If it wasn't her father interrupting them then it was Fury with a mission, this was the first time in weeks they had had any time together alone.

Taking a shaky breath the blonde super soldier turns to the blonde vampire Slayer and finally takes a chance, he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about her but he knew it was different from anything he had ever felt about anyone before and he wanted to explore that.

"Buffy."

Buffy looks up from her position looking over at him with a frown "This best be good if you're interrupting my power nap. I have not been this comfortable in years."  
Steve smiles before forcing her feet off him and sitting up, as he does Buffy arches a brow before sitting up to face him curiously "What's with the serious face?" She asks gesturing to the nervous look on his face.

Steve gulps slightly before smiling nervously "Actually...Buffy there's been something I've been wanting to talk to you about for a while."  
Pausing the solider takes a shaky breath before placing a hand on her knee "B—"

Steve is cut off as their front door slams open causing the two to jump off the couch, Cap grabbing his Shield while Buffy grabs her scythe preparing for an attack.

However, to both of their surprise, there in the doorway of their apartment was not only her father but also Pepper and Happy who was checking his watch.

"Come on, come on, we're on a schedule people." Happy tells them all causing Buffy and Steve to glance at each other in confusion.

"Happy's right. Party's already started. We're almost past the point of fashionably late." Tony tells Buffy and Steve as he forces both of them to put their weapons down.

Buffy frowns in confusion before waving her hand drawing everyone's attention "Raise your hand if confused." She says before both she and Steve raise their hands waiting for some form of an explanation.

Tony's eyes widen in shock before he turns to Pepper in astonishment "She forgot." Turning back to his daughter he glares at her "You forgot?!"  
Buffy winces "Forgot what?"  
"You're birthday dude."

Buffy's eyes widen in confusion, she hadn't celebrated her birthday in years and honestly she wasn't even sure what day it was right now "It's my birthday?"  
"It's your birthday?" Steve asks in just as much shock and slight guilt.

Tony rolls his eyes "Actually it's tomorrow. Now we have a party to get to. Move it, people!" He yells before he grabs the two of them to begin leading them to the jet outside however as they head for the exit Tony turns to his daughter "And don't think you're getting out of the whole not telling me you moved in with Mr. Self Righteous."

Buffy's eyes widen and she winces this was not going to be fun "Oh boy."


	13. Chapter 13

**NEW YORK CITY, AVENGERS TOWER**

After being forced into a pretty pink strapless dress Buffy was now stood with her long blonde hair hanging past her shoulders moving around her as she stood with Giles watching as Xander pranced around the dance floor like an idiot.

"Are we sure he is human?" Buffy asks her ex-watcher laughing softly as Xander attempts to do the worm only to fail miserably, it was clear that whatever the hell Thor had given him wasn't exactly having the desired effect...or maybe it was, maybe Asgardians were just hard partiers.

Giles chuckles as he sips his drink and watches the young man attempt to dance "Perhaps he isn't, we didn't know about alien races till a few years ago. Perhaps he is a shapeshifting creature of some sort."  
Buffy and Giles glance at each other before chuckling knowing that Xander truly was the most human of them all, that's why he had always been the heart of the group. A group that hadn't been the same since they had lost one of their original members.

Turning back to the bar Buffy orders herself another martini before smiling at her former Watcher "I'm glad you came. It's been..."  
"Too long." Giles finishes with a smile as he faces the young girl who was like such a daughter to him...but things were so different now, her life was different now, much more complicated then it had been in Sunnydale, back then it had been simple.

Buffy smiles sadly, she knew it was partially her fault that they weren't as close anymore. She was just never around which just made things difficult and now that she was working with SHIELD she was even harder to get ahold of than before, honestly, Steve was really the only person she saw on a daily bases anymore.

Giles smiles and places a hand on the young woman's shoulder "What you're doing Buffy...your work...you have become everything I could have ever hoped."  
Buffy couldn't help but smile at her watcher before she hears a small crashing noise, closing her eyes she sighs "Go save Xander before Pepper gets to him."

Giles nods knowing that if Xander had to deal with the wrath of Pepper he wouldn't survive.

Buffy chuckles and turns back to the bar before smiling at the very cute bartender as he hands her a martini.

* * *

Steve smiles as he watches Buffy's friend Xander quickly being escorted off the dance floor and over to a nearby couch.  
Shaking his head in amusement the solider turns around in search of the birthday girl who had been swiftly pulled away from him the moment they had landed in New York.

And since then he hadn't been able to get to her, someone else would always beat him to her and then she would be off again.  
Sighing he pauses as he hears her laughing, turning around his eyes widen as he spots the blonde with a Martini glass in her hand standing at the bar talking to the brunette bartender who was staring at the Stark girl mesmerized.

Steve couldn't help but clench his jaw at the sight of what he perceived as flirting between the pair.

As his fists clench he couldn't help but sigh, he knew he was getting jealous when he had no right to, he and Buffy were not together, nothing had ever happened between them and she still to this day had no idea that he had any form of feelings for her, hell he had only realized he had these feelings a few weeks ago.

But it didn't mean that this didn't suck, she was an amazing woman, funny, smart, kind, selfless, strong...and whole lot of other words that could barely describe how amazing she was to him.

Sighing he looks away from the blonde turning back to his drink wishing desperately that the alcohol burning down his throat would actually have some effect on him, but alas there was nothing.

* * *

Buffy pulls herself away from the cute bartender that had been obviously hitting on her for the past 10 minutes, as fun as it was she felt nothing, it was weird she didn't even flirt back which was weird for her. It was like something was preventing her.

Sighing the blonde continues around the room sipping from her Martini like it was a lifeline, these parties had never really been her thing, she was always expected to speak to people, to make small talk with people she barely knew, the people in the company. And while she understood why she had to do it it just wasn't exactly something she wanted to be doing right now.  
Honestly, she wanted to be at home watching movies with Steve as she had originally planned but being a Stark came with certain obligations.

Taking a deep breath the blonde's eyes widen in relief as she spots Pepper moving towards her, she couldn't have been happier to see a familiar face who wasn't trying to pitch her another idea for the company.  
"Pep!" Buffy exclaims in joy before throwing her arms around the redhead.

Pepper chuckles in surprise but as she pulls away a look of understanding crosses her features "Tony overdid it didn't he?"  
Buffy opens her mouth to argue but when Pepper arches a brow she sighs, she never could lie to Pepper "Is it that obvious?"  
"That you're miserable? No."  
Buffy groans "I'm trying, I'm just not good at the talky part anymore. I'm mute. Seriously like I can't find words when I speak to people."

Pepper couldn't help but smile reassuringly at her surrogate daughter "You're doing just fine. Don't worry."

Buffy smiles sadly before she looks at Pepper dreading to bring up one of the reasons as to why she was so miserable but it had to be done "So...where's Dawnie? Let me guess by the chocolate fountain."

As Buffy laughs at her own jokes Pepper's face falls slightly confirming Buffy's suspicions, clenching her own jaw Buffy couldn't help but let out a sad sigh "She's not coming is she?"

Pepper sighs sadly knowing that Buffy was still upset about how distant her relationship with her sister had become over the past few years since Willow's death. It seemed like the witch dying had just pushed their relationship to the breaking point, and while Buffy had tried to stay in contact no matter how little that was, Dawn just didn't seem interested in the slightest.

"She's busy at Berkly on her post-grad work." Pepper tells the blonde placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she just wanted to make Buffy happy even if it meant given her false hope.  
And as much as Buffy wanted to believe that false hope she knew the truth. Her sister had no interest in her anymore. Not that she had her own life now, her own people.

"I'm sure she wishes she could be here." Pepper says trying desperately to make the blonde believe her.  
Buffy sighs and forces a smile to her face "Yeah, I bet she's already planning her big I'm sorry ps you're old party."

As the blonde forces the words from her lips she couldn't even believe them, while she could pretend for Pepper she knew deep down it was going to be a hell of a long time before she saw her sister.

Pepper smiles before she grimaces "You're dad looks like a crazy person right now."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she realizes what that meant...he had a new idea, one that he would probably go on and on about for several hours making her want to blow her own brains out.

Pepper who was seemingly having the same terrifying thought quickly smiles before downing her drink "Goodluck." She whispers before disappearing into the crowd.

Buffy's eyes widen in panic this could not be happening "Wait! Pepper!" She hisses just before smiling awkwardly as her father appears with a wide grin on his face making her groan "Dad...now isn't the best..."

"Buff you have to hear this!..."

* * *

Sitting there in his own misery as he attempts to force all thoughts of his best friend out of his head a certain redhead appears beside him with a knowing smirk on her face.  
Frowning he turns to the spy "What Natasha?"

Nat merely smiles and tucks her growing red hair behind her ear as she glances at the blonde Stark girl who was now seemingly having a banter off with her father "She looks pretty."

"Beautiful." Steve argues, the words leaving his lips before he could even process what he was saying, wincing he quickly clears his throat attempting to cover up his mistake. The worse thing for him would be Nat realizing his feelings for Buffy...well maybe not as bad as what would happen if her father ever found it, then there would be war.

"I mean who looks pretty?"

At his lame attempt to cover up his admiration for a certain blonde-haired vampire Slayer Natasha couldn't help but shake her head in amusement "Smooth." She snarks as she stirs her own drink before turning to face the clueless super solider "And you're not over there talking to her because..."

Steve couldn't help but scoff as he thinks back to the girl he liked flirting with that bartender "Yeah I'm pretty sure she has all the company she needs."

Natasha merely arches a brow at the clueless hero, he may be a kind selfless person, but when it came to women he was truly the most clueless person she knew "Well I'm pretty sure she is about a second away from throwing Tony out of a window. If I were you I wouldn't miss that for anything."

With that, the redhead taps Steve's shoulder before making her way around the room to continue mingling with other guests. Once she was gone the super solider finally lets her words sink in, curiously he turns his head only to spot a very annoyed looking Buffy glaring at her father who looked like he was in the middle of one of his billion-hour lectures.

Chuckling softly he smiles in her direction not meaning for her to hear him, but yet she does.

Turning her head ever so slightly the blonde glances behind her father easily enough that he doesn't notice her no longer paying attention to him.

As her eyes land on the super-soldier, she couldn't help but smile at him causing him to smile right back.

And there the two stayed smiling at each other, unable to tear their gazes off of each other even from across the room. They remained there as her father rambled on about some new update for his suit but the blonde Slayer didn't hear a word of it, because the minute her eyes had landed on the deep blue that belonged to the soldier she had found herself frozen unable to look away as a feeling in her gut begun to form. One she wouldn't understand for a while but the same feeling that Steve was already having for her, he had had the same feeling since the second he had laid eyes on her.

And now there was no denying it.

There was something there. An unspoken connection of sorts.


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm so glad that's over. Thought I was gonna have to get with the master escape there for a second." Buffy tells Steve as they walk back into their apartment a few hours after her father had reluctantly allowed them to escape the party.  
Yanking off her heels the blonde flops onto the couch taking a deep breath before sinking into the couch "Just leave me here to die." The blonde muffles into a pillow making Steve chuckle before he moves towards the shelf where a small wrapped boxed had been sitting for several weeks.

Clearing his throat nervously Steve turns to the half-dead Slayer "Buffy?"  
Buffy grumbles into the pillow as she speaks "Yeah?"  
Steve chuckles before crouching down in front of her and moving the pillow causing the unhappy Slayer to grumble and complain like an old cat "Hey!" She moans as he steals her pillow only to pause as she spots the small box in his hands.  
Arching a brow the blonde looks at him curiously as she sits up "Is that for me?"  
"Maybe? Do you want it?"  
Buffy chuckles "Gimme." She motions her hands like a small child making him smile before he hands her the box and holds his own hands nervously. God he hoped she liked it.

The blonde Slayer smiles before slowly unwrapping the box, as she pulls off the lid she pauses as there laid so perfectly was a stunning silver locket with a simple silver chain, pulling it out of the box she turns to Steve her eyes widening slightly "Steve..."

"I found it in this old store in the '40s, never could figure out why I got it but now I know...it was to give it to you."

"It's beautiful." She whispers before gulping slightly "Could you?" She asks gesturing to the necklace causing him to quickly nod "Of course." He says as he moves to sit beside her while she turns and pulls her hair out of the way of her neck.  
Slowly Steve takes the necklace and carefully places it around her neck before clasping it together allowing it to rest on her neck, the locket resting perfectly just above her breasts.

Turning to face him the blonde smiles "Thank you, I love it." She whispers before leaning forward and much to the super soldier's disappointment she kisses him softly on the cheek before standing and moving towards the kitchen leaving him sat there watching her longingly.

* * *

Buffy chuckles as she lands on her back on the training field before rolling onto her side so she could get back to her knees. As she continues to chuckle she looks up through her messy hair, moving it to the side, and out of her face she giggles at the sight of her smiling friend.

"Told you I would beat you eventually."

Buffy smiles and stands up before placing her hands on her hips "You didn't. I'm still standing. Can't say the same for you..."

Mike frowns in confusion before she suddenly flips through the air in an areal split, as she does her feet connect with his face causing him to stumble, and then suddenly he feels his feet knocked out from under him and he quickly finds himself on his back with Buffy stood above him her heeled boot resting on his chest as she smirks at him "It took me less than 4 seconds to do that. You've still got your L.A arrogance." As she laughs he couldn't help but chuckle with her before taking her hand allowing her to help him up.

"I'll get you eventually."

Buffy grins "Sure." She says with a chuckle before she moves to grab a bottle of water from her bag and smiles at Mike "Push-ups. Every time you lose 100."  
Mike groans before dropping to his hands and beginning his punishment, this was already his fourth set today, he was starting to regret agreeing to these terms.

Looking up at the blonde his eyebrow raises as he spots a small smirk on her face as she looks at her phone, clearly, someone was texting her.  
"So you and Cap?" He nudges not even having to guess, she always had that look on her face when she was speaking to Rogers.  
Buffy tears her gaze away from the phone and looks at Mike in confusion "Huh, what? A what?"

Mike chuckles before standing and catching the bottle of water as she tosses it over to him "You and Rogers, what's the deal there?"  
Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes, why was everyone so obsessed with her love life lately? From the press, SHIELD agents, and then there was her dad, only he was more interested in the terms of making sure she stayed away from all men. There were times where it felt like she was still 15.  
"Okay, what is everyone's obsession?"

Mike just shakes his head in amusement, how the hell did she not know about this "Buffy there is a pole going on about when the two of you will finally start causing buildings to shake."  
Buffy's jaw drops "Oh my god. I just lost respect for all SHIELD Agents'. You all need to get lives!"

As Mike laughs Buffy rolls her eyes and grabs a football, launching it at him sending him crashing to the ground, smiling brightly she watches him drop before chuckling. "Sorry I throw like such a girl."

"Girl my ass."

* * *

NEW YORK CITY - STARK INDUSTRIES

"A bet?" Pepper asks with a chuckle as she and Buffy stand in her office at Stark Industries getting ready for the shareholders meeting that would begin in the next hour.  
Buffy shakes her head in annoyance as she sips her coffee before typing her hair up in a low bun "Everyone in SHIELD clearly needs to get a life...or get laid."

Pepper shakes her head in amusement before closing the folder in front of her that she and Buffy had just spent two hours going through. Pepper couldn't help but smile at Buffy; remembering back to that young 17-year-old girl she had met who hadn't come into her Stark smarts yet and now the girl had written an entire proposal regarding funding for building a small town that would be run entirely off Stark clean energy as a showcase for larger companies to see that it was sustainable long term.

"Pep? You okay there? Anybody home in that nogen of yours?"  
Pepper shakes herself out of her daze before smiling at the young woman in front of her "I was just thinking about the day we met."  
Buffy couldn't help but smile at that, it just seemed like a whole lifetime ago now "Another world."  
"Almost seems like. You made me feel so old..." When she spots the blonde open her mouth she glares "Don't you dare say I am old."  
Buffy shuts her mouth before chuckling "You know me too well."

"I know your dad too well...and you two are like the same person."

"Is that an insult?" The blonde Slayer asks in confusion only making Pepper shake her head in amusement "No...well not to you anyway. You're all the best parts of your father. The parts he hid before you came back into his life."

Buffy couldn't help but smile at the redhead woman who had basically become like her surrogate mother, a job she sometimes shared with one Melinda May.  
"All this past stuff is making me hungry...food?"  
Pepper smiles "You pick..." She says before realizing her mistake as Buffy grabs the intercom "Happy 6 cheeseburgers please!"

* * *

WASHINGTON, DC

After a long day of being Buffy Stark business lady the blonde walks into her and Steve's empty apartment wishing desperately that she had gone on the mission with him to Peru when he had asked. Being Anne Summers Avenger sounded more fun than business meetings and budget reports.

Falling face-first onto the couch the blonde kicks off her heels before curling into a ball on the comfy pillows.  
As she begins to dose off her phone begins ringing making the blonde huff and punch her pillow a few times before grabbing the phone "It better be good or someone is going to lose a head..."

 _"Buffy, it's Melinda."_

Buffy smiles now no longer annoyed by the disturbing phone call as she hears the voice of her old friend "May hey what's—"

 _"I need your help...Coulson's been taken and Mike...he's dead."_

* * *

S.H.I.E.L.D 6-1-6 'THE BUS' – LOCATION UNKNOWN

"I have my best interrogator in there right now." Agent Victoria Hand tells Coulson's team as well as the other Agents who had joined the bus in their search for Coulson. Pressing a button on the table the screen suddenly shows the live feed from the interrogation room where Vanchat who they had just captured was currently being interrogated. "Vanchat will talk, and rest assure, when he does, not a single stone will be left unturned until we take down Centipede."

"My main concern is Phil." An unfamiliar voice says from the back of the room causing every agent in the room to spin around and raise their guns only for most of them to stare in amazement as there in the flesh was the one and only, Anne Summers, AKA The Slayer, AKA Avenger.

Buffy smirks from her place leaning against the doorway, moving her dark hair out of her face she smiles at the Agents before walking into the room "Weapon's down boys."

All the agents nod and drop their weapons causing Buffy to smirk before she smiles at Coulson's team "Hey guys...long time no see."  
Slowly Buffy's smile fades as she spots Hand "Sup Red Mistress."  
Victoria clenches her jaw at the sight of the avenger before glancing over at Coulson's team "Contacting an Avenger for one Agent!"

Buffy rolls her eyes only to smirk brightly as she spots the signal from Skye "Thanks Skye." She says before she pushes past the Agents "Looks like you guys have a hacker."

With that the raven-haired avenger makes her way to the interrogation room ignoring the Agents currently moving to go confront Skye.

* * *

Buffy glances down at her phone as she spots the message from May " **Skye Off Bus, Plan in motion'**

Smiling the blonde tucks her phone into her back pocket before knocking on the interrogation room door.  
The Agent who opens it frowns in confusion before shock fills his face "You-you're..."  
"A very impatient young woman." She says before punching him in the face knocking him out cold and then catching him before he collapses on the floor.  
Throwing him out of the room the blonde grabs the door handle and slams it shut before she smiles at Vanchat "I know what you're thinking...I'm prettier than the last interrogator."

"No pretty girl is going to get me to talk."

Buffy merely smiles, she loved being underestimated, it was always fun to prove a point. Grabbing her phone she dials Simmon's number that May had given her "Hi Simmons...be chill...yes...May gave me your number...chill..." Buffy sighs before glancing up at the security camera only to wince as she hears Ward begin yelling in the background "He is no fun...anyway do me a favor, the thingy in your ceiling can you turn it on in about 30 seconds? Great thanks!"

With that, the blonde hangs up and turns back to Vanchat "You ever wonder what it's like for Syndrome in the Incredibles? His final moments I mean?" As she speaks she steps closer and closer to him, grabbing the table she launches it across the room causing him to jump as she merely continues moving towards him till her hands were resting on the arm's of his chair "What it felt like to be cut into pieces by that plane?"

"You're interrogation skills could use some work Luv."  
Buffy smirks "I want names, all your buyers."  
"I'm not telling you a thing."  
"Pretty please."  
When he merely shakes his head Buffy rolls her eyes before grabbing him by the back of his neck "Fine. Let's see how long I can hold you."  
"Wait what—"

And with that Vanchat is cut off as the ceiling opens up and he and Buffy go flying out of the hole. Quickly the blonde stabs the scythe into the side of the plane with one hand while the other holds onto Vanchat who was full-on panicking as he spotted the blades in one of the wings "Would you look at that!" Buffy yells "I don't think I can hold on much longer!"

"Fine, fine I'll talk!"

* * *

Avoiding Hand's meeting Buffy moves around the front of the plane and makes her way into the pilot bay "May."  
May turns and quickly locks the door before smiling, something so rare for her "Buffy." She says before hugging the young woman who hugs her back tightly.

Slowly May pulls away before looking at the young woman in annoyance "You told Skye about the plan?"  
"Well, yeah." Buffy says with a shrug before sitting next to the pilot as they both take their seats "If she can find Coulson quicker then that's what matters."

"You don't think Hand's focus is Coulson?" Melinda asks curiously while Buffy nods, she just knew Hand was more focused on completing her mission and getting a damn promotion then finding Coulson.  
Pausing the blonde glances over at the woman who had become like a surrogate mother to her "Is Ace okay?"  
Melinda clenches her jaw before looking at Buffy sadly "He's as good as can be expected...Buffy, I'm sorry, I know he was your friend."  
Buffy takes a shaky breath and closes her eyes thinking back to when she met Mike or as she had known him back then 'Gunn', to their training sessions, to him teasing her about Cap...he had become one of her most trusted friends here.

"He died a hero. And I intend to finish what he started and find Coulson then I'm going to go see Ace and tell him the life of Charles Micheal Gunn."

Suddenly the room fills with the voice of Victoria Hand over the speaker " _Agent Summers, we found something on the list you got from Vanchat...changing co-ordinates now."_

* * *

"The centipede soldiers each have a port on their delivery device to inject refills of the serum." Simmons tells May, Ward, and Buffy as she and Fitz show them the device they had discovered in their research.  
Fitz quickly interjects "But with this injector cuff, we can use the port to our advantage by injecting a refined dose of denodrotoxin to incapacitate the solider."  
Ward glances at the device in the scientists' hands curiously "How does it work?" He asks as Buffy takes the device only to have Fitz quickly grab it back.

Simmons smiles as Fitz hands her the device "Oh, just simply lock it around the Centipede solider's forearm."  
Buffy shrugs "Simple enough."  
"Some of us don't have superpowers to get these on them." Ward points out causing Buffy to smile "I know which is why maybe me and May should go, I mean we are the best."

At her words, Ward clenches his jaw only for him to be cut off before he could speak as Simmon's phone rings.  
 _"Simmons, it's me."  
_ "Skye." Buffy mouths to Ward and May while Fitz stares in amazement "You can hear her?"  
Buffy smirks and winks before watching as Simmon's begins to stumble over her words nervously.

Buffy sighs before holding out her hand for the phone which Simmons without resistance hands over before glancing at the three scientists in the background "Shuu little scientists."

The three quickly run from the room while Buffy holds up the phone in between her May "Hey Hacker Girl..."

 _"Hey, Buf—Buddy..good buddy Anne."_ Skye says stumbling over her words unsure who else could hear and who knew who Anne really was.  
"Smooth Genius."  
 _"Says the actual genius."  
_ May rolls her eyes at the banter between the two girls before trying to get them back to the point at hand "Skye what have you found?"

* * *

"We're about to launch a major assault on a Centipede lab, and you want to take your team and an Avenger based on a hunch from Skye." Hand says in absolute disgust, she couldn't believe this team, they were so focused on one Agent when they had the chance to take down a massive organization.  
"It's not a hunch." Ward argues.  
Buffy nods in agreement "It's a little hunch, more facto then huncho..." Pausing her eyes widen as she spots an Original Howard Stark creation, "No way." She says completely ignoring the group as she moves towards Coulson's car Lola.

Melinda says "Anne focus."  
"Sorry." The blonde says before turning to Hand while leaning on the car "Skye followed the money from Vanchat back to Centipede..." Pausing the blonde comes to realize something "Oh wait a second, I outrank you, Fury put me in charge of keeping an eye on this team... plus you know I don't like your orders. Take your strike team whatever we have a damsel to save."

With that, the blonde smiles innocently before leaping into Coulson's car making everyone freeze, no one touches Lola.  
"Agent Summers." Fitz says nervously, a little unsure of what to do "No one is supposed to touch Lola."  
Buffy shrugs "Coulson let me believe he was dead plus I know the guy who made this car...you could say we were kind of close..." She says only making May smile knowing the car was actually made by the young girl's grandfather "Get in."

"We don't even have the keys—" Ward starts only for Buffy to bend down and connect a few wires hotwiring the car "You were saying?"

* * *

As Buffy lands the flying car Fitz and Jemma quickly climb out gasping for air while Melinda shakes her head "I see your driving has improved."  
"That's an improvement!?" Fitz screams in horror as he continues to gasp for breath while Buffy merely shrugs "Well duh, I didn't crash...again. Or cause the engine to blow up. That counts as a plus in Slayer vs Cars"

Buffy rolls her eyes as Fitz continues to stare at her in horror and jumps out of the car before turning to May, "Bringing back memories of our last battle together?" She jokes thinking back to their battle months ago against the creepy weird fire people, causing May to smile making everyone including Ward freeze for a beat, it was always weird when the Avenger was around and made the cold Agent show emotion.  
Buffy clicks her neck slightly before tying up her raven hair in a high ponytail, as she ties the band around her hair that's when she hears it.

 _"There's nowhere to run!"_

Without a word to the others, the Slayer takes off running and spots one of the soldiers running after Skye, speeding forward she throws her body at the solider knocking him down to the ground. Flipping herself up to her feet she grabs his shirt and throws him a good 20feet away from her and Skye.

Skye gasps and takes several deep breaths in shock "I—forgot—how strong you are."  
Buffy smiles at the hacker "Hey Skye."  
Skye smiles before running over at hugging the other girl, Buffy smiles as she hugs back Skye, honestly she was slowly becoming her new Willow. Which made her sigh slightly, she did miss her crazy witch best friend.

"Coulson's gotta be here somewhere." Skye tells Buffy as she pulls away from the hug just as the rest of the team appear around them.  
Melinda nods "We need to split up."  
"Dibs on May." Buffy quickly says with a smile before she hears Simmons speak "Or run."

Buffy turns around and sighs as she spots what had gotten Simmons panicked, one of the soldiers, moving towards them, Buffy gulps before clicking her neck "This is gonna be fun."  
"You need a hand?" Ward asks her just as another two soldiers appear making Buffy shrug "Sure G.I WARD, I take the two on the right, you take the one on the left?"

"Works for me."

As she and Ward step forward Buffy glances back at the team "Find the bitch that killed Mike. I have a few choice words for her."

With that the others head to find Coulson while Buffy and Ward run forward, Buffy quickly jumping in front of Ward as one of the soldiers throws a car door towards them.  
Catching it she skids back slightly before launching it at the Solider sending him flying backward.

Moving so she and Ward were back to back he couldn't help but chuckle "Why does this feel like an interview to join the Avengers."  
"Sorry we already have too many pretty boys...it's gonna start getting distracting." She tells him before he bends over allowing her to roll over his back and shove her foot into one of the solider's chest, standing up she smiles as one tackles Ward away while she faces these two "I'm sorry have we met? I"m Buffy...and your toast..." Leaping up she does a double split kick hitting both of them in the face as she lands one of them grabs her from behind, struggling slightly the Slayer reaches around and wraps her hands around his neck before leaping up and wrapping her legs around the neck of the other, twisting her body to the side the boys fall while she spins through the air gracefully before landing on her toes.

Picking them both up she slams their heads together knocking them out cold before casually dropping them to the ground and wrapping the bracelets around their arms "Night, night boys."

With that, she turns and simply pushes the other soldier away from Ward sending the soldier flying through the air and crashing through a window out of sight.  
Ward's eyes widen while Buffy merely smiles "That was fun...what next?"

Suddenly Buffy freezes as she hears screaming "Phil." She breaths before breaking out in a run, as she runs into the room her eyes widen in horror as she spots Phill hooked up to a machine which looked like it could have been ripped straight out of a horror movie. Taking a shaky breath Buffy watches as Skye continued untying Phil from the machine while May unplugged it.

Looking down she spots the woman in the flower dress, grabbing her she drags her from the room and slams her against the wall causing her to stir, as Raina wakes her eyes widen in horror as there in front of her was The Slayer.  
"You killed Mike."  
"Not technically." Raina argues only for Buffy to tighten her hold around her neck "Listen here flower bitch, I'm gonna find your boss. If I don't...I have no problem hurting the messenger. You know why? Cause it sends a message."

* * *

Buffy stares emotionlessly out of the window of Coulson's office for what felt like hours, he was currently in the med bay with his team and she didn't want to intervene.  
As she waits she sighs and pulls off her wig shaking out her naturally wavy blonde hair before pulling off her mask and placing them on Coulson's desk. As she stands there the blonde takes a heavy breath, hiding behind a mask was really starting to get old.

"I sometimes forget that you're not naturally brunette." A voice says from behind her, Buffy turns and smiles before moving forward and hugging Agent Coulson "How you feeling Agent?"  
"Agent?"  
"Dad told me your first name is Agent."  
Coulson shakes his head in amusement "Your father is crazy."  
"You just realizing this?"

Coulson smiles brightly before looking at her with his bruised and banged up face; such a grateful expression covering it as he watched her "Thank you...for helping my team."  
"Anything to help you...and help catch the guys that killed Gunn."  
"Gunn?"  
Buffy winces, she sometimes forgot that other people hadn't known him as Charles Gunn "Mike...it's a long story."

Coulson nods, he knew well enough with the Stark girl never to ask too many questions, because the answers would just confuse him even more.  
"You know...you should stick around." Coulson tells her as he moves to circle the room "My team like you. You work well with them. You even get May to smile and you know how much of a gift that is."

Buffy smiles brightly, she had to admit she was tempted, she did like this team "I may take you up on that offer...but not now."  
"The door's always open for you."

Buffy smiles before her eyes widen as Coulson places Lola's rearview mirror on the table making the blonde gulp this was not going to be pretty "Now let's talk about Lola."

* * *

WASHINGTON D.C – ONE WEEK LATER

"So Coulson is okay?" Steve asks as Buffy unwraps her arms from around his waist and climbs off the back of his bike.  
Buffy pulls off her helmet before nodding as she pushes her now messy hair out of her face "Yeah, I mean he was pissed about the car, but I swear I have some genetic like dibs or something..." When Steve just gives her a blank look she whistles awkwardly "Oh you mean that whole gurr torture thing...I mean he was shaken up but...figures, being held in a place with that many mannequins, I would freak out too."

Steve chuckles before climbing off the bike himself, he did love her ability to bring humor to any situation.

As he leads her towards the entrance he pulls open the door for her allowing her to enter first, only making Buffy smile "You can take the guy out of the '40s but you can't take the 40's out of the guy."  
"It's called being polite."  
"Hey, I wasn't complaining."  
Steve smiles before leading her towards a room he had visited so many times before, stopping in front of the closed-door he turns to the blonde "You ready?"

Buffy gulps nervously; this was a big deal, "What if I screw it up? I mean I am a total screw up?"  
Steve smiles and places a calming hand on her shoulder "It's not like this is the first time you've met her."

Buffy rolls her "I was in diapers and apparently threw up on her."  
Steve merely shrugs "So it can't get any worse."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement, she tried to glare at him but she just couldn't "You're spending too much time with me."  
"I disagree." He tells her before squeezing her shoulder and slowly opening the door.

As she steps into the room Buffy sees her, the one and only Peggy Carter laid in her hospice bed.

"Hey Peg." Steve says with a sad smile as he circles her bed to sit next to her while Buffy slowly moves to sit next to him, she didn't want to admit it but she was nervous, she had heard so much about Peggy growing up had seen the photos, this was one amazing woman and it was a little intimidating.

Peggy glances over at Steve and tears begin to fill her eyes "Steve...you're here...how..."  
Steve smiles sadly and takes her hand squeezing it softly "Peggy remember it's 2014."

Peggy takes a shaky breath as slowly she starts to take in her surroundings and finally it clicks to her, this wasn't the 40's, Steve wasn't just suddenly back it had been decades.  
"It's good to see you again Steve."  
Steve looks at her smiling but Buffy could see the heartbreak in his eyes as he squeezed his old love's hand "You too Peg's. Actually I have someone I want you to meet."  
Buffy looks over at Peggy whose eyes widen almost in recognition "Maria?"

Buffy gulps slightly, Maria was...or had been her grandmother before she died in that car crash all those years ago before she had even been born, but she had been told by so many people and even the press had pointed how much she looked like Maria in her youth.

"Um...I'm Buffy...Buffy Stark."  
Peggy slowly forms a fond smile on her face "Howard's granddaughter...I remember I met you when you were an itty bitty thing." Buffy smiles as Peggy almost examines her face "So beautiful...you look just like Maria. It's erie."  
Buffy couldn't help but chuckle softly "Yeah I hear that a lot."  
"At least you don't look like your grandfather...talk about a curse."

* * *

"You're not going to make me kill a vampire are you?" Steve asks with a laugh as him and Buffy walk through the graveyard after visiting Peggy.  
Buffy smiles "Not...but don't be surprised if we run into a couple."

"Wait seriously?" He asks his eyes widening in horror slightly, while he had seen her folder and read the books that Fury had given him to help understand the supernatural a bit more he still found it hard to believe that creatures like vampires actually existed, even if they were almost extinct now.  
"Well as long as we don't run into Dracula." He jokes making her shake her head in amusement "Finally crossed Anne Rice off your reading list?"  
"Yep, you proud?"  
"Very. She's actually right on certain aspects with him. But he is a lot paler."

Steve stops in his tracks and stares at her in shock "Wait—Dracula as well?"  
"You really surprised?" She asks as she turns to head down the small path in the graveyard.  
"Well yes, you tell me a lot of stuff I would never have in my wildest dreams believed would be true."  
Buffy smiles "Just trying to keep ya life interesting."

Steve shakes his head in amusement before frowning in confusion, where the hell were they going?

"Almost there." She tells him before finally, she pulls him a stop. As he takes in the sight his eyes widen as he recognizes the name on the grave "Your mom?"

Buffy looks over at him nervously "You introduced me to someone important from your past. My turn. Mine is just slightly more depressing."  
Turning to face her mother's grave, so glad that her dad had moved it before Sunnydale was destroyed, she reaches into her bag and places the small pile on lilies on the headstone before smiling sadly, she missed her mother so much, it was still so hard to believe she was gone.

"Hi, mom. This is my friend Steve, the one I've been telling you about."  
"You talk about me?" He asks curiously as he moves to sit beside the blonde who was now sat leaning against the tree by her mother's grave.  
Buffy nods "Of course I do. I mean you and her do have so much in common, you're both old."

Steve chuckles and nudges her softly before listening as she begins speaking telling him stories about her mother, slowly he links his hand with hers entangling their fingers together. As he listened to her he finally realized it.

He was completely in love with Buffy Anne Summers Stark...and her father was going to kill him for it.


	15. Chapter 15

**WASHINGTON D.C**

Buffy shoots up in her bed screaming loudly, she felt like she couldn't breathe as though someone had just dropped a tone of weight on her chest. Finally, after a few minutes, she clams herself down, taking a deep breath she closes her eyes trying to force the images out of her bed. Images of her sister dead in her arms.  
Grabbing her phone she sighs in relief at the sight of her sister's monthly update message telling her all about the fun she was having traveling the word.

"Where the hell is Sokvia?" Buffy breaths in confusion before shrugging and climbing out of bed.

Walking into the living room the blonde frowns in confusion as she spots Steve's empty room across the hall. Glancing out the window she feels herself grow even more confused the sun wasn't even up yet Where the hell was Steve Rogers?

* * *

After literally running circles around the poor guy Steve walks over to the man currently sweating and gasping for breath as he leans against the tree "Need a medic?"  
The guy chuckles in disbelief "I need a new set of lungs..." Looking up his eyes widen as he spots Steve without even a drop of sweat on him "Dude seriously, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes."  
Steve merely smirks "Means I got a late start."

The other man couldn't help but laugh in amusement at the Solider, "Really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap." Looking away for a moment he glances back at Steve only to huff "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it."  
Steve shakes his head in amusement before he spots the symbol on the guy's jumper "What unit are you with?"  
"58 Pararescue. But now I'm working down at the P.A." Leaning his hand up Steve takes it allowing the two to finally actually introduce themselves "Sam Wilson."  
"Steve Rogers." Steve says as he helps the fellow ex-soldier up.

Sam chuckles as he places his hands on his knees still out of breath "I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing."  
Steve couldn't help but smile of course that would be brought up, sighing for a moment he tries to think of the right answer to that "Takes some getting used to. It's good to meet you, Sam." He says before moving away he wanted to get home before Buffy got up to discuss the mission tonight and possibly finally ask her out to dinner, even though he had failed at the latter like 3 times already by babbling nervously.

"It's your bed right?" Sam asks suddenly making Steve stop in his tracks "What?"  
"It's too soft. When I was over there, I slept on the ground using rocks for pillows like a caveman, now I'm home lying in my bed is like..."  
"Lying on a marshmallow." Steve finishes "Feel like I'm going to sink right into the floor. How long?"  
"2 Tours."

Steve nods however before he could say a word his phone rings with the most annoying song in existence playing "Dammit Buffy." He moans realizing she had changed his ring tone...again.  
"Patsy?" Sam says with a laugh before shaking his head "Lady troubles?"  
"Just a friend."  
Sam arches a brow before chuckling "This friend also the one who TMZ is obsessed with aka a young Stark girl?"  
"Just the one."  
Sam smiles "Damn lucky boy."  
"Just a friend..."  
"So she's single?"

When Steve losses the smile Sam couldn't help but laugh before shaking his head "Is she helping you adjust to the new world?"  
Steve chuckles remembering back to the day she had shown up to the cabin in her sundress right after Willow's funeral and had given him to list that he now took everywhere. Pulling out the book from his back pocket his waves it at Sam "She made a list."

Sam nods in interest before something comes to his mind "Marvin Gaye, Trouble Man soundtrack, 1972. Everything you missed jammed into one album."  
Steve smiles before pulling out a pen "I'll put it on the list." He promises as he adds it on to the ever-growing list right underneath Star Wars/Trek, Nirvana, and Rocky.

Suddenly his phone buzzes again, pulling it out he spots the message from his favorite blonde _"We have a mission. Nat is picking you up, I'll meet you there...Ps...You didn't make me pancakes we need to have a chat about this."  
_ Steve couldn't help but smile "Alright Sam...duty calls." Leaning forward he shakes Sam's hand "Thanks for the run if that's what you wanna call running."

At his words, Sam's eyes widen, who would have thought Captain America could use sarcasm like a pro "Oh that's how it is?"  
"I'm learning the Stark ways." Steve says with a laugh before turning around.  
As he walks off Sam shakes his head in amusement "Anytime you wanna stop by the V.A and make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk just let me know."

"As long as it keeps you away from my girl." Steve agrees with a smile.

"I thought you said she was just a friend!" Sam yells just as Natasha pulls up the car in front of Steve allowing him to climb inside "For now!" Steve yells before he and the redhead speeds off.

* * *

 **INDIAN OCEAN | LAT: 16N 12.05* LONG 72N 56' 7.09***

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago." Brock Rumlow tells the team of agents as he shows them the mission statement on the holograph screen in the middle of the jet.

Steve clenches his jaw "Any demands?"  
"A billion and a half."  
The Soldier frowns, why would the pirates put the demand so high without knowing if the people in charge could even afford it "Why so steep?"  
"Because it's SHIELD's."  
Steve's eyes widen as the dots finally connect in his brain "So it's not off-course, it's trespassing."  
Natasha sighs his moral code was so annoying some times "I'm sure they have a good reason."

"I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor." Steve says in frustration before looking around the plane, where the hell was Buffy?  
"Relax." Natasha tells him "It's not that complicated."  
"How many pirates?" The captain asks turning back to Rumlow.  
"25."

 _"22."_ A familiar voice says popping through the comms making Steve's eyes widen "Bu—Anne?" Steve stutters, he still wasn't used to the whole Buffy Anne thing.  
 _"Hey Cap, Fury sent me in early I'm looking for the hostages now...will send details soon."_

Brock waits till Buffy goes quiet before turning back to the team "Summers is set to capture Georges Batroc." He says before showing them a photo of him on the monitor "Ex-DGSE, action division. He's at the top of Interpol's red notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. These guys got a rep for maximum casualties. Summers's mission differs from ours. She brings him in alive. No one start shooting on sight."

Steve frowns, he knew Buffy could handle herself hell she was stronger than him but he didn't want to think about her on a ship right now by herself with nothing but murderers. He just hoped she would be okay.

* * *

Buffy silently lands on her feet in the security room of the ship looking around she places the scythe back on her back before silently moving around the room looking for the camera desk.

Pausing as she hears footsteps behind her, her eyes widen and she quickly grabs onto a pole next to her and uses it to quickly pull herself up to the ceiling using her hands and feet to keep her up on the ceiling as two of the pirates below discuss their plan.

Buffy smirks before suddenly a wave of agony goes through her entire body biting her lip she tries to hold in her scream.  
What the hell was happening?!

Suddenly another wave goes through her and the blonde finds herself unable to hold on any more, falling to the ground she lands right in front of the two pirates.

Quickly pulling herself to her knees she gasps in agony however this time it didn't pain she felt but a sudden wave of energy...of power.  
The pirates jump up in shock before pulling out their weapons, the Slayer flips her raven-haired wig out of her face before she leaps up flipping behind them both before kicking them both sending them flying across the room.

Sighing the blonde moves and picks them up dragging their bodies into a separate room leaving them there before grabbing her phone, yes she was on a mission and now probably wasn't a good time but this wasn't the first time this had happened she needed to let Xander know what was happening "Xander, hey it happened again."  
 _"Just now?"  
_ "Yeah, why?" She asks curiously, something about the tone of his voice sounded off "What is it?"

 _"Buffy, do you remember when you were being tortured how those Slayers were dying but suddenly you were stronger?"  
_ Buffy frowns thinking back to that day she had felt a wave go through her enough to get through those weird ball chains, she and Melinda had been able to fend everyone off before she finally summoned to her injuries, it wasn't exactly a memory she liked reliving, she had almost died "Yes so?"

 _"When the girls started losing their powers you started getting stronger Buffy...another Slayer died today...one of the last ones with powers left."  
_ Buffy's eyes widen in horror, their deaths were making her stronger, what the actual frack?

* * *

"You do anything fun Saturday night?" Natasha asks Steve as they gear up for the mission.  
Steve shakes his head "Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so...no, not really."  
Natasha smiles "Buffy make you do a movie marathon again."  
"No, her father did...Again."  
Natasha groans at the sound of that before smiling at him mischievously "You ever gonna tell her?"

Steve frowns in confusion and turns to glance at his red-headed friend "Tell her what?"  
Natasha scoffs in disbelief how could he be this stupid "What you want to tell her if her father didn't show up every time you two were alone together."

Steve sighs in frustration it was true, every time he had tried to talk to her about how he felt her father had shown up and taken her away or forced them to watch something. If it wasn't Tony it was Xander or Fury or hell even Coulson. He just hadn't been able to find the right time for this.

But one thing he didn't want was for everyone else to know before Buffy did including and mostly he didn't want Natasha to know, her and Buffy were too close "She's a Stark."  
Natasha chuckles at that "A hot stark."  
Steve sighs "It's just Tony is..."

Natasha turns to him realizing that he didn't get, he had only known Buffy two years he had no idea how close Tony and Buffy really were...and just how much they had been through to keep each other safe "She is his everything Cap. All he has. Her mom is dead, and Joyce was his best friend for 25 years, Pepper and him have been struggling and now that Buffy isn't in L.A or even New York he starting to think he is losing her."  
"Yet you continue to ask why I don't tell her." Steve points out just as the hanger doors open.

Natasha merely smirks "A girl like that...so worth it, you should go for it soon or I might beat you to her."

Steve frowns he was a little unsure if he should take her seriously or not, shaking his head he looks over at his red-headed friend "Then have fun with Tony." He jokes before leaping out of the plane...leaving his parashot behind.

* * *

Buffy moves silently around the ship in search of Batroc, leaping up onto another level she silently flips over the bars landing in a crouch.  
Standing she moves down the hall when she spots him, grabbing the scythe she prepares to move in only for the one and only annoying one Nick Fury's voice fills her ears.

 _"Summers change of plans."_

Buffy winces, she really hated having to wear these damn ear-pieces "Damn it, furry man!" She hisses "Does enhanced mean nothing to you."  
 _"Call a lawyer."  
_ Buffy huffs in frustration before groaning and looking back down the hall at Batroc, he was right there.

" _Slayer, you're a Stark...I was going to have Romanoff do this but not even she would be able to get past those firewalls, I need you to go to the systems room on the second level of the ship."  
_ Buffy groans and clenches her fist "You realize I'm not your computer janitor right?"  
 _"Today you are."  
_ Buffy rolls her eyes, he was so going to get a mouthful when she got back for that "Smart move." She says sarcastically before she turns him off and heads to the systems control room.

* * *

Climbing up into the ship the super-soldier quietly moves through the outskirts taking out pirates one by one, as he moves he couldn't help but chuckle as he finds three guards tied together with a bow around them, Buffy may be slightly crazy sometimes, but she knew how to have fun.

"Summers you there?" He questions through his comms only to frown as nothing comes through her end except for static, "Summers? Have you got eyes on Batroc?" He questions again trying to get her attention but there was nothing. What the hell was going on?  
Sighing he quickly has to focus his mind as he spots more pirates ahead of him running forward he kicks one in the chest with such force he goes flying straight off the ship. As the next pirate moves to attack him, the Captain drops to his knees swinging his leg out knocking the other man down before he stands and grabs the arm of the third pirate, flipping the man over his soldier he punches him in the face knocking him out before swinging his leg out as the second pirate tries to stand back up.

With that the super-soldier continues on his path to get inside the ship, taking out guards one by one.

* * *

Buffy pops her head through the air vent she was hidden in and smirks down as she spots one of the pirates on the telecom phone thing, to be honest, she didn't know what the hell it was. Sighing the blonde pulls herself out of the vent and drops to the level the pirate was on, landing straight behind him. As he turns she smiles brightly "I take it this isn't the cruise ship to Mexico?" She questions before swinging her leg at the guy's knee causing him to cry out in agony as the bone shatters in two, Buffy sighs "Tell me you at least have a good Margarita stand? Gotta keep the hostages happy."  
When he merely continues to scream she rolls her eyes "I get it your leg hurts. Geez." With that the blonde punches him in the face knocking him out cold, before grabbing onto the metal scaffolding, sliding down to the next level, she swings her body around and kicks one of the pirates in the chest with both of her legs. As he goes flying she grabs the scythe from her side and launches it straight into the other pirate's chest.

Making sure she was in the clear the blonde calls the scythe back into her hands before climbing back onto the scaffolding and jumping down to the next level, her fall being broken mainly by the guy she lands on. "Thanks for the padding pirate man." She says sweetly before picking him up and tossing him against the wall knocking him out cold.  
Spotting two guards below her the blonde's eyes widen as she spots them with guns in their hands, "Uh oh." She breaths before leaping into a side ariel out of the way, as she lands on their level she kicks one of them in the back sending him crashing into the other pirate causing them both to go stumbling down the stairs.

* * *

Steve remains out of sight as he watches the three pirates in the main room through the glass on the top level, he needed to find a way in without being seen.  
"Natasha, what's your status?"  
 _"Dropping off something to your Mrs it'll be quick."_

Steve's eyes widen in confusion before it clicks, she was talking about Buffy whose comms had suddenly gone very quiet the minute he was on the ship. He didn't like this he had a feeling he was missing something out here, there was something about the mission he wasn't being made aware of.

* * *

As she gets closer to the engine room the blonde sighs as she lands on another level, why did they all look the same, it was starting to get very confusing "How big is this ship?" She breaths before standing up straight and turning her attention to the pirate at the end of the hall, sighing she groans and looks up at the metal ceiling, these pirates were like vampires, poof one and another just pops straight back up.  
Running over to him she comes up behind him and taps him on the shoulder, as the startled pirate spins around aiming his gun she grabs his wrist moving it out of the way sending the bullet he fires flying straight past her face "Hi." She says sweetly "Alright Hook, nighttime for you."

Before he could say another word she yanks his wrist forward and swings her leg around his neck swinging her other leg around his body she flips backward sending him crashing straight to the ground. Rolling onto her knee she flips her hair out of the way before groaning in annoyance as she spots another pirate enter the room "Oh come on." She moans before running at him, ducking under his arm she grabs his arm and slams her palm into his elbow, as the bone snaps she ignores his scream of pain and leaps into a cartwheel causing him to spin through the air landing head first on the ground while she lands gracefully on her feet.

Suddenly another pirate grabs her from behind, huffing she slams her head back into his face before placing her feet on the wall and shoving as hard as she could sending them both flying into the wall on the other side of the room. As she falls on top of the now unconscious and possibly paralyzed pirate the natural blonde pushes the raven hair of her wig out of her face before standing.

Reaching for her comms she glances around once more making sure she was clear "Engine room secure."  
"Copy that Billionaire Princess." Another voice says from behind her, spinning around Buffy rolls her eyes as she spots Natasha sat on the railing staring down at the unconscious pirates "Need popcorn?"

Natasha rolls her eyes in amusement before tossing the blonde the flash drive she would need for the Fury mission "You're on a private comm with Fury. He'll switch you back once you use that pretty Stark head of yours to plug that in the server. There are more pirates to deal with go, I'll cover for you."

Buffy couldn't help but frown in confusion, if all that was needed was to plug in this flash drive then why wasn't Nat on it, yes Buffy may be a Stark but she was more a violent based Stark then a genius one. Something didn't feel right about this.  
"What am I missing here?"  
Natasha merely smirks before pulling out her gun as she hears more pirates moving towards them "Talk to Fury."

Buffy clenches her jaw in frustration before huffing and taking off in a run, she was so done with Fury not being upfront about these missions, he was in for a world of pain and annoyance when she got back to DC.

* * *

 _"Summers missed the rendezvous point, Cap. Hostiles are still in play."_

Steve couldn't help but sigh as he leaps out down the emergency exit stairs to where Batroc had taken off to, he really didn't like this, he hadn't been able to get ahold of Buffy on comms and Natasha was apparently the only person in contact with her. Whatever the hell was going on with this mission, it didn't feel as simple as planned anymore. He had to be missing something here, Buffy didn't just go dark during missions not unless she had orders from Fury.  
That's when it hits him...Fury. There was something else going on other than the rescue mission.

Panting he sighs, Buffy could handle herself he knew that, right now his focus had to be on stopping Batroc then he and Buffy could deal with Fury later "Natasha, Batroc's on the move. Find Summers and Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages." Steve frowns as he walks waiting for an answer, but there was nothing "Natasha? Anne? Come in?" Suddenly Steve spots someone running at him from the corner of his eye, raising his shield he manages to quickly block Batroc as the soldier leaps at him sending a flying kick at the shield.

Steve goes rolling across the floor taken off his feet by the sudden hit, quickly getting back up he raises the shield again but the force of Batroc's kick actually managed to send him crashing back to the ground.

* * *

Buffy locks the door behind her as she enters the main server room, moving over to the server computer the blonde pulls off her mask and frowns at the computer system, okay, she understood the basics from nepotism and a little from Skye but this was way too much for her "Fury, might want to get Natasha back here, cause...yeah no."  
 _"She's getting the hostages. Just plug in the flash drive Summers, it's a system similar to your fathers you'll be able to get ahold of everything."_

"Wait what?" Buffy huffs in confusion _,_ he had told her they were destroying everything so the pirates wouldn't be able to steal anything from SHIElD or get into their systems "You told me we were destroying everything!"  
 _"Summers not the time. Just plug in the flash drive and yell at me later."_

Buffy groans in frustration and clenches her jaw before plugging in the flash drive, as she begins typing in the encryption, she couldn't help but clench her jaw tighter and tighter, this was a rescue mission, that was what she signed up for, not to be tricked into a completely separate mission without even being informed!  
She was so going to kick Fury's ass and maybe even steal his cat, at least she thought it was his, she had only ever seen a photo of the cute ginger cat in his office.

"Ugh, I so hate this." She whispers before she gasps as suddenly the door goes crashing down, turning her head her eyes widen as she spots Steve now crouched over Batroc before punching their target in the face knocking him unconscious.

"Steve?"

Steve frowns and turns his head only for his eyes to widen in confusion as he spots Buffy stood at the computer system "Buffy, what are doing here?"  
Buffy sighs and huffs stepping away from the computer "Fury and Nat dumped a last-minute secret mission on me. I'm backing up the hard drive."  
Steve's eyes widen in the same disbelief that hers were filled with, standing he walks over to her "They dumped this on you."  
"Fury told me I was erasing everything, protecting our firewalls, bla bla..." Huffing the blonde turns and points at the screen making his eyes widen in disgust "He tricked you to save SHIELD intel."

"Yahtzee." The blonde says with a nod of confirmation before sighing as the backup finally finishes, yanking the flash drive out of the computer "I'm gonna kill eyepatch. I don't like being tricked. Tricks and Buffy, not mixy things."  
Steve groans in annoyance this was ridiculous, Natasha separated the best soldier they had from the team to the point where they hadn't even been able to get ahold of Buffy, Romanoff and Fury risked every single hostage's life for this.

"They jeopardized this whole operation."  
Buffy sighs and shakes her head "We kill them later..." Pausing her eyes widen as she spots Batroc now standing, however, what terrified her was the bomb he was about to launch at them "Steve!"  
Steve's eyes widen and he turns, swinging the shield at the bomb he sends it away from the two of them before he grabs her hand and lifts her up diving them both through the glass window into a separate office just in time to narrowly miss the blast of the bomb.

As glass shatters around them Steve holds onto the blonde covering them both with his shield before she huffs and glances up at him, for a moment she was quiet before she snorts "We so need a raise."  
Steve couldn't help but smile forgetting his anger at Fury and Natasha for a moment "Damn right."

"Language, Rogers."

Steve chuckles in amusement before helping the blonde up, with that the two of them run to get to the rendezvous point.


End file.
